What Happened?
by CrimsonChoucho
Summary: He had no memory of who he was, because those last memories were the ones brought him to the Shu camp looking for his own death. Too bad fate had another plan for him... ZLxZY Shonen Ai
1. Ambushed

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

I own nothing, though I would love to have a Zhuge Liang statue guarding my house...

This fic has short and long chapters. When I say short, I mean some are exceptionally so. It however is a 23 page long document at the moment, so it's not that short.

Zhuge Liang x Zhou Yu fic. **SLASH**

**1- Ambushed**

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><p>"Sun Ce!" Zhou Yu yelled, Xiao and Da were behind him as he beat his way through the crowd to were Sun Ce was. "Damn it Ce, watch your back!" One the men had managed to sneak around him towards Da Qiao.<p>

"That's what you're for Yu!" he retorted smugly, "whoa, Yu... that's a lot of archers!" When Zhou Yu heard the words lots and archers he mentally cringed, this was a suicide mission. Sun Ce was still injured from the last battle, and not lightly either.

"Ce get out of here!" Zhou Yu yelled and Da screamed something along the same lines. Xiao was next to him and they raced up to block the volley headed straight for the injured Wu heir. Da tugged him back, but it wasn't enough.

Zhou Yu covered most of the fire with his Red Dusk rod, and what he couldn't get Xiao got with her fans. Sun Ce and his Halberd were pushed back under a tree, Da and her fans in front of him. They were surrounded on three sides with a bluff on the last side, trapped.


	2. Realization

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING.

I take back the part about the statue I want the mystical feather fan of lighting that Zhuge wields in DW7.

PS. I told you some were short, the one after this one isn't though. :)

SLASH FIC Zhuge Liang x Zhou Yu.

**2- Realization**

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><p>When Zhou Yu woke up his head ached, and he felt searing pains coming from his leg, arm, and shoulder. His muscles burned from over extension, and there was absolutely no one around. He looked over himself and found arrows sticking out of each of the pained places. Arrows?<p>

The Archers and Sun Ce! Where was Sun Ce? He looked futilely around the scene to find the Qiao sisters gone, and something that caused him to take a step back. There was Sun Ce's halberd coated in blood, now where was... No.

Sun Ce lie in the center of a volley, arrows everywhere. Zhou Yu ignored his protesting limbs and went to his side. He leaned down to check for breath, nothing. No sound what so ever. He rested his hand on the cool armor, no vibrations from the heart. Ce was gone.

Zhou Yu shook his head; his best friend was gone... His sworn brother, his reason he was still alive. He shook his head again thinking it had to have been a dream, but the pain made it all too real. He turned around and ran. Ran as far as he could for as long as he could in the opposite direction.


	3. Discovery

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: If I actually owned any of this do you really think I'd be posting it here?

I want that feather fan!

**3- Discovery**

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><p>'The troops are being awfully loud... its making it rather hard to plan,' the Shu scholar thought looking outside his tent flap. He walked outside, twitching the feather fan. There were medical officers running past, and he raised an eyebrow.<p>

"So it caught your attention as well Kongming?" Zhao Yun asked quietly, "it's a Wu. No one knows who. Won't speak, only tries to hurt himself more. Hasn't even touched anyone."

Zhuge Liang walked forward and heard the struggling; the medical officers were trying to restrain the man. He was easily holding them off, ebony hair so long that it was covering every inch of his face.

"Zhao Yun, assist them please," he instructed. The Little Dragon General stepped forward and grabbed the man's wrist loosely. He forced it behind his back cutting off all the jarring erratic movements he was making. He jabbed a finger into the side of his neck, releasing the man's wrist as he crumbled to the ground. Zhuge Liang admired that little trick of his as the medical officers restrained and carried off the Wu man.

That was the only thing they could determine anyways, all that red and style clearly belonged to Wu. Zhuge Liang even recognized that particular outfit, but from where he was at a loss for the moment. He waited patiently outside the medical tent; he planned while waiting for the okay from Liu Bei's staff.

"Master Liang, you may enter now," one of them finally announced after what seemed like hours, "Arrow wounds, at least three of them, blunt trauma to the head, dehydration... the man's in bad shape." His mouth dropped as he saw the face that had been hidden behind ebony locks. This man was certainly from Wu, he was their head strategist.

'Zhou Yu of Wu... No wonder I recognized that outfit,' the Sleeping Dragon whispered to himself, "Captain, have him transferred to my tent immediately. Also where is Lord Liu Bei?"

"Lord Liu Bei is at the mess tent. Yes, sir," the officer responded. Zhuge Liang was off as soon as he heard; he was obligated to divulge that knowledge only with Liu Bei. Zhou Yu would be killed if he didn't interfere, and he had no intention of letting the man die until he found out anything about Wu.

The leader of Shu-Han however was more than a little lenient with prisoners. He would not kill a man so near his own grave, it was against his honor. At present Zhang Fei was speaking with his lord and sworn brother, so he would wait until he could interrupt.

"Master Zhuge Liang, were you planning on joining us?" Liu Bei seemed to be in a pleasant mood. The perfect time to drop a rather light bombshell. Well at least the identity of an unknown.

"Not really, I just have some interesting news. The Wu man we recovered is someone we might want to take care of," the Shu scholar waited for his lord's signal to continue, "The man our scouts picked up is none other than Zhou Yu of Wu. I would like to request that I take over his care for the time being." Being a former hermit he had several types of medicine with for emergencies. It would come as no surprise to Liu Bei who knew his former modest background.

"That should be fine as long as it doesn't interfere with your duties," Liu Bei replied, "you are of course welcome to care for him as long as you are interested and he is treated fairly."

"Of course my lord. I request that very few know we have him though," he countered, "they reported he had blunt trauma to the head, and I observed the most peculiar behavior before having Zhao Yun interfere."

"Strange? What are you saying?" Zhang Fei asked finally. Zhuge Liang sighed, what he had seen was the effects of a traumatic experience. The man was in no condition to return to Wu for his own duties.

"He is not well in the mind sir, something must have happened before the scouts found him," he responded, "Zhou Yu would not be able to help Wu even if he returned."

"I understand Master Liang, we will see you later then at the meeting," his lord excused him returning his attention to Zhang Fei. Zhuge Liang went back to his tent very confused about the whole situation. Zhou Yu was a very strong and wise individual; whatever affected him on such a level was bound to be horrible for all of Wu.

He opened the tent flap to see Zhou Yu's form restrained on his bed. He sighed walking over to a pack he had in the corner, pulling out the various ointments he had packed inside it. He rolled the other man's pant leg up to a look at the angry arrow wounds. He pulled out the sab and rubbed it in gently making sure it was covering well.

He wrapped it tightly, and rolled the silk back down. He repeated the process with his shoulder and arm. The last thing he did was examine the man's head. Blunt trauma was certainly one way to sum it up. He cringed; Zhou Yu's earlier struggling was to cause more damage to his already beaten head.

The only thing that was left out of the massive damage was his face, which at present was calm, but very pale. He pulled out an herbal sedative and started some black tea to mix it with. He waited patiently with his scrolls out across the table studying his latest foe. Wu, even with its brilliant and powerful officers and Lu Xun would not be attacking soon.

Zhou Yu was a crippling loss for them, but the others would be able to cover it up for the most part. He looked over his notes on the Wei and Wu officers he had compiled. Sima Yi was the greatest threat currently, and with the might of Wei he should perhaps seek out Wu's help in the matter.

They would not fight well, but their numbers with Shu's own ranks might bring a victory to stop Wei's pursuit of Shu. The Sun family was not unreasonable, but they were stubborn. Speaking of the Suns... he brought out Zhou Yu's file. He was great friends with Sun Ce, the Wu heir. Maybe...

"Ce..." the Wu man spoke softly. Zhuge Liang turned towards him, watching carefully. Zhou Yu sat up looking around dazed, "I must find Sun Ce..." he rolled himself off the bed. The Sleeping Dragon cringed, that would have to hurt with the wounds he had. Then a thought occurred to him, Zhao Yun once mentioned that the mind could over come any pain it was just matter of determination. Any pain, even life threatening pain could be overcome by sheer force of will. (Or brain damage.) Zhou Yu certainly had a will to be reckoned with.

Lying still for a moment as he gathered some thoughts, he rolled over. He inched towards the tent flap until his eyes widened impossibly. He lay still for a moment then looked for something. He spotted the metal frame of something and launched himself head first at it.

"No!" Zhuge Liang grabbed his ankle just in time to prevent the head on collision. The Wu officer fell into the dirt face first; he lifted his head again and tried to make another attempt at the metal frame. Zhuge Liang did the only thing he could do, he flung himself ontop of the other man pinning him to the floor and repeated the movement Zhao Yun had done before. He was rewarded by the man falling limp underneath him, he sighed rolling off the Wu man.

Zhou Yu was naturally stronger than him, after all his ability to fight hinged on his stamina to keep going. His own style was far more magic based, but it seemed he could at least pin him down using his armor and robes weight to his advantage. He gently placed Zhou Yu back on the bed as the whistle for his tea sounded. He grabbed a cup and mixed the herbs with a sedative in it.

He lifted the other man's head bringing the cup to his lips, rubbing his throat until he swallowed the mix. He finished the cup within a few minutes, so the Shu Scholar gave him another cup. Laying him down softly against the pillow he tied the other man on the bed tight enough he couldn't roll.

Now where would he sleep? Oh well, this puzzle was definitely enough to keep his interests for a while. With little thought he grabbed the spare blankets and slept curled on the ground beside his normal cot. He had his fan tucked under his head; this would be a long night. His dreams felt strange, like it was going to long road.

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><p><strong>Crimson Choucho:<strong> Well that seems to be a reasonable amount. So what are your thoughts?


	4. What of Wu?

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: Well if I did own these characters then I wouldn't have to write this now would I? You'd be watching it unfold before your eyes on some sort of system...

This pairing attacked me after reading Hieirulesall's It All Started With An Elevator. If you haven't read it, look it up and bug her to update for me.

** 4-What of Wu?**

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><p>Zhuge Liang only needed one night to ask for an extra cot for himself. Zhou Yu had been with them about three weeks, no attacks had been made by Wu. Wei had been deflected a few times, but not down enough to counter their entire pursuit after Liu Bei. Cao Cao's forces were gathering again, and an alliance with Wu was the only option available now.<p>

"Lord Liu Bei, might I suggest a meeting with the Sun family? They should need our assistance as much as we need theirs," Zhuge Liang counseled, 'I must figure out why they have not asked about the whereabouts of their strategist.' Zhou Yu had healed on the outside quite well, but inside his mind was still the same as before.

"Cao Cao's forces are pursuing us unmercifully; even the Suns of Wu would have difficulty against him. Just what are you intending to discuss?" Liu Bei was of course wise in his own sense, "nothing that would put Shu in any more harm?"

"Of course, I would advise an alliance to weaken Cao Cao's massive army," Zhuge Liang replied calmly, "I have thought through many strategies my lord, but only one has the promise of the least amount of casualties for either side. Wu and Shu must work together." Zhuge Liang's words were very alluring, but would they have the affect needed?

"Then I will send you to Wu, please take someone with you as well," Liu Bei was far to caring for his own good some days, "represent us well Master Liang."

"Peace be with you," he bowed and went to his tent to finish his packing his things. He was sure that Zhou Yu's last dose of sedatives was wearing off; he wanted to see if the man had changed his mind about trying to kill himself. Sure enough he was on the cot still, but tiny bits of movement alerted Zhuge Liang that he was waking.

"Please don't launch yourself into my pack this time," Zhuge Liang whispered pleadingly, "Zhou Yu..." He tucked his stuff away separating what he would be taking with and what would go with the troops as they moved. Zhou Yu was looking over at him blankly, making Zhuge Liang wander if his timing was off. He checked his notes and discovered that he had left one sedative in the tea that would make his ride easier.

'Well out of it and movable by himself is better than me having to move him by myself,' the Shu scholar slipped a Shu robe over the very... non responsive Zhou Yu. A very large helmet later and some extra armor and the Wu man was now an unrecognizable and very protected mostly unconscious man. Ma Chao stood nearby, watching over his steed that was being brushed out by a peasant girl. He was giving her a small appreciative smile.

Zhao Yun was off looking beyond bored, he was watching Liu Bei's lower officers spar. Most of them were so low on the charts for strength that even a light touch from one of the mighty five tiger generals would bruise. He looked over at Zhuge Liang with an idea in mind; he approached slightly awkwardly with a slight smile.

"Master Liang, would it be possible for me to accompany you to Wu?" Zhao Yun must have indeed been bored, "it would be something to do, rather than sitting like the coiled snake waiting for the meal that never came." Zhuge Liang nodded; he wasn't opposed to any idea that included low key security for him. Zhao Yun was perfect, low key and easy to hide, yet strong enough to fend off the unwanteds. Zhuge Liang nodded approving the request, smirking quite smugly that he had asked.


	5. Jiang Dong

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: If I actually owned any of this do you really think I'd be posting it here?

**5- Jiang Dong**

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><p>After a few days journey the Shu party arrived in the capital city of Wu. Along the way the Sleeping Dragon received more than a few odd stares guiding Zhou Yu up the steps. He was greeted by a near ecstatic Lu Xun at the top. Happy to be in the presence of another strategist since his mentor's disappearance, Lu Xun bounced in place like a little puppy. The Sleeping Dragon spared a glance his direction; the young Wu officer eventually helped him get Zhou Yu (whom was cloaked enough that Lu Xun hadn't noticed him) into a room.<p>

Zhuge Liang didn't have much time to give Zhou Yu a proper dose, so he made sure the sedative was extra heavy in the tea this time. Hopefully he could get permission from the Sun family to help Zhou Yu in the only possible method that he figured might have a chance at working.

"The meeting is about to begin Master Liang, will you be joining us soon?" Lu Xun asked sticking his head in suddenly. Zhuge Liang cursed under his breath as Lu Xun caught a glimpse at what he had been trying to conceal. Zhou Yu's long ebony hair had fallen out of its bun and he was currently up to his elbows in ebony locks trying to braid it. Lu Xun of course recognized the color as his mentor's.

He gasped loud enough that Zhou Yu twitched lightly, Zhuge Liang turned to look at the young Wu officer. He caught him in a light glare, his eyes flickering between distress and annoyance.

"Don't you dare say a word Lu Xun, to anyone else about his presence here. Without sedatives he is suicidal, I have no idea as to why..." Liang looked away briefly. Lu Xun sighed lightly, bringing a finger under his mentor's chin. "He will not respond to anything with as much sedatives as he has in his system currently, there is a bit extra just in case the meeting goes over the allotted time between doses."

"We... we all thought he died. We saw the blood trail leading away, the broken arrow shafts... So much blood. You had best hear it from Lord Sun Quan," Lu Xun looked over his mentor, noting random differences between them. "Lord Zhou Yu looks well taken care of despite his overgrown hair. Let me trim it before you leave, it will be easier for you to handle." Zhuge Liang continued braiding looking at the long loose strands, his fingers winding in between the strands gingerly. Enjoying the feeling of it between his fingers he smiled briefly, hiding the expression from Lu Xun.

"I'll be finished shortly; I might take you up on that offer later to trim his hair. Should only take a few minutes if you'll wait outside for me to finish this," Liang lifted his hands. Lu Xun just stared at his mentor who was twitching under his gaze, "Well how long should the meeting be going for?" Lu Xun sat across the room on a large bound trunk, his leg twitched slightly.

"A few hours tops, Lord Sun Quan isn't as long winded as our former lord Sun Jian. This is unbelievable," Lu Xun repeated again, "How long has he been in your care?" Liang didn't bother to answer; he tied the rest of it back up. Then he looked Zhou Yu straight in the eyes.

"Don't go anywhere while we're at the meeting, I'll bring you something to eat later, ok?" his voice was stern, it felt like he was talking to a puppy more than a grown man. The Wu man looked at him then flopped over on the cot. "Let's go, wouldn't want someone to go looking for us and find him. It's not like he can answer any questions." Lu Xun nodded, leading him out the door quietly, locking it behind him with a wooden bar. It didn't take long for Lu Xun to guide Zhuge Liang to the meeting.


	6. Aftermath

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: Koei knows who all the rights belong to, and it certainly isn't me. I don't speak a lick of chinese.

Well at Lu Xun seems to understand... Longer Chappie this time.

**6- Aftermath**

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><p>With permission from the remaining Suns he instructed the Little Dragon where to hit that would cause amnesia. Zhao Yun had hit him hard enough he was out for days. Zhuge Liang was actually worried he was in a coma, but was happily proven wrong as the man recovered enough to open his eyes. Thus began Zhuge Liang's insane, in the sense of being tedious, plan to help him recover.<p>

He was literate still at least, but all of his memories were gone. Since Zhuge Liang was slightly busy teaching Lu Xun he handed Zhou Yu a copy of The Art of War. He told him to read it through and then ask him questions. Lu Xun while thinking it was impossible to read the entire book cover to cover watched his former mentor do so slowly.

"Isn't that cruel to him?" Lu Xun asked once watching Zhou Yu's fragmented self read. Zhuge Liang shook his head pulling out more of his old notes about Wu and what they should have been fixing.

"Not really, I don't enjoy ignoring him so I gave him a useful task. He's an intelligent individual, so he's taking the words to heart," Zhuge Liang took a moment to interrupt his studying, "I want you to take a break at the next chapter and go eat, alright?" The ebony haired man nodded and continued reading. Lu Xun just stared while Zhuge Liang walked back to the table.

"You enjoy taking care of him... before you used to torment him, but you..." Lu Xun was very confused. Zhou Yu grabbed a piece of paper placing it between chapters and walking out of the tent.

"But I what? I care about him? Yes," Zhuge Liang smiled sadly, "that was why I picked on him. I can assure you however that I didn't intend for this to happen. Not that I mind teaching either of you to ensure an alliance." The man rolled out some of the scrolls he had taken out.

"How much do you care about him?" Lu Xun questioned, "I think you just ought to clarify that right now to yourself. That way you..." Zhuge Liang was staring at him now, and it was a very blank stare.

"I know how far I am willing to go Lu Xun. I know why I choose to care for him that day rather than have him killed," Zhuge Liang folded his hands, "I love Zhou Yu, I understand what that means. That first time he launched himself towards the metal frame of one of my inventions I was scared. I knew I couldn't stop him by merely tugging him away, Zhou Yu is stronger than me by a good deal, so I had to pin him to the floor. It took every ounce of armor and robes on me to pin him down."

"That still doesn't explain anything, how could you..." Lu Xun was very confused, "love him? Zhou Yu was... Wu was your enemy." Zhuge Liang sighed; this was getting a bit annoying.

"Wu is my ally, and Zhou Yu is currently under my care. And you are supposed to be learning something here," Zhuge Liang pointed out, "Now Zhou Yu was brilliant, but he left room for improvement. Wu has one major weakness that you need to protect, its officers." He pulled out several overviews he had taken during his time in Wu. Notes scattered out all over the table, things that happened, things that went wrong, and things going well. Zhuge Liang smiled, so he did make notes and leave them in the most practical place.

"That hand writing... Zhou Yu. I didn't know..." Lu Xun examined the notes, "I didn't realize how much work he actually put in to making it look so easy." Zhuge Liang glanced through the handwriting, some of it was written horseback, others the strokes told of enemies to close to continue. Truth be told he needed to look through the notes still, but he could see certain flaws from the setup.

"Making it look easy is one thing, looking confident and following your own plan that you know all the places it can go wrong is much harder," Zhuge Liang examined the positions and the notes drawn on the map. This was the battle against Liu Xun to take back the Wu lands; Zhou Yu had been guarding the flank/supply depot. According to his notes Sun Ce's forces including his young sister had gone after Liu Xun through the back of a fortress.

"Lu Meng said that Yuan Shu showed up inside the fortress on the way towards Liu Xun's main camp," Lu Xun recalled," Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's forces were victorious, even though Sun Ce forced his way through the main gate." Zhuge Liang read through the notes discovering that Sun Ce did not force his way through. "One of his troops had gone around and unlocked it from inside. Zhou Yu having known his friend was going to force his way through anyway decided to unlock it before hand."

"That's not what happened. Zhou Yu unlocked the gate so Sun Ce could go through. Of course he was a little tired afterwards... Its right here," he handed Lu Xun the notes; "Zhou Yu recorded it, as well as the wounded count. Which he was part of, even lists where they were wounded. He listed himself last, looks like he got cut on his arm." Zhuge Liang remembered seeing a scar on his arm, he wondered if Zhou Yu had documented all of his wounds. Then the man in question walked in, bringing two meals with him.

"Here," he placed the trays in front of them and returned to reading the Art of War. Zhuge Liang smiled, and bowed his head a little.

"Itadakimasu," he said quietly, Lu Xun said something similar. They went over each of the battles reading Zhou Yu's notes entirely. In the end each one pointed out the flaws of each. The last one was virtually unscathed from the scribbles, and was titled Chi Bi. Zhuge Liang noticed it looked like it had been put away hastily thus why he grabbed it. It showed boats and three colors advancing towards each other. There was an alter in the middle of the green surrounding, as well as one spot in a mass of blue. The red was surrounding the green, but there were no arrows showing an ambush of any sort. There were boats of marked with fire with arrows going towards the blue. Lastly there was a note about the blue boats being chained together.

Lu Xun and Zhuge Liang looked over at Zhou Yu who was still reading, this was exactly what they were supposed to be making. How could the man have already made it? A month and a half in advance no less, Zhuge Liang doubted that the Zhou Yu in his company for a month had made something of this caliber. Everything was right down to the detail on the few notes inside it. Everything from using Huang Gai to lead the boats and evidence supporting an alliance with Shu. So the colors represent Shu, Wu, and Wei; then this plan was the last thing Zhou Yu had worked on.

"Lu Xun, I think we should use this plan of his. As a way of paying our respects to the end of his days at this game of Risk. What do you think?" Zhuge Liang pushed aside the notes looking at the map again. It was a brilliant plan, and he knew exactly what the alter was for.

"Of course, for Zhou Yu," he raised his glass, "then and now." He looked over at his old mentor with a smile wide across his face.

"For Wu and Shu's success at Chi Bi," Zhuge Liang touched their glasses and swallowed, 'and for my love for you Zhou Yu. We will succeed.' "Lu Xun, your lesson for today is over I want you to take these back with you except for Chi Bi. Once he has finished the Art of War I will return to Wu with him, and perhaps Zhao Yun. Take notes off his and be ready to help me convince Lord Sun Quan, I have a spy to get ready in the mean time." Lu Xun was gone within an hour's time, Zhuge Liang had long since sent the trays back and was looking over Zhou Yu.

"Something wrong?" he asked quietly setting the book down, he was a quarter of the way finished. Zhuge Liang was impressed, but he had figured out the ghost that needed to be there for this to work.

"Yes, you need to start re-training your endurance. I will ask Zhao Yun to spar with you, he should be able to get you into shape for the next battle," Zhuge Liang smirked to himself, this would be amusing to watch none the less, "your physical strength needs to be used or you will lose it. Prior to being found you were in excellent shape, Zhao Yun should be able to help with this. You will start out with the sword or spear, that should be a good place to start." Zhou Yu nodded; he followed Zhuge Liang as he stepped outside to look for Zhao Yun. The young general had actually been asking to spar with someone; training someone back up couldn't be that hard.

Zhao Yun was sitting on a box near the mess tent when they found him; he smiled warmly at Zhuge Liang who was now wearing a Cheshire cat grin. Zhao Yun bowed his head slightly for a moment, which Zhou Yu did the same. The Shu scholar placed a hand on Zhou Yu's shoulder.

"I may have a solution to your problem Zhao Yun," he announced, "I need someone to help increase Zhou Yu's endurance back to where it was before. I figured you might be interested." Zhao Yun was now wearing the same grin as the Shu Scholar.

"Of course, training is close enough to sparing. So how long should I train with him you think?" Zhao Yun asked looking over the man in question, "He doesn't seem to have gotten too out of shape."

"Two or three hours a day should suffice, at least until he finishes his book. Zhao Yun he must be ready to fight by the end of the week," he replied pulling his hand off Zhou Yu's shoulder, "he used to favor the staff. So start him on something basic, his skills should return to him." Zhao Yun nodded in agreement.

"See you tomorrow then Zhou Yu. Find me when you are ready for your lesson," with his problem solved the Little Dragon headed off to his tent. Zhuge Liang however started going elsewhere, which Zhou Yu did notice.

"Where?" he had started using few word sentences ever since he had recovered.

"I'm going down to river to bathe, you can return to the tent if you don't wish to go. That or you can stand watch for me," Zhuge Liang had let another possibility plague his mind, but shoved it away deeming it impossible for now.

"Go with," Zhuge Liang heard from behind him. Well that was fine, but he was going to have to stop talking like Wei Yan. It was beginning to bother Zhuge Liang.

"Zhou Yu, could you please try to use full sentences as well?" the Shu scholar was tired of listening to the fragmented sentences, "I know that's a lot to ask since you're still recovering, but it's unbecoming of you." It was silent most of the way down to the river, until there was a small sound.

"I'll try," was what it sounded like Zhuge Liang looked over his shoulder gratefully, "you said I could stand and... guard, is it possible for me to bathe as well?" Any lesser man probably would have stumbled or at least looked as shocked as he was. Zhuge Liang's face was calm and blank showing no sign of the shock, but his right pinky twitched in lew of the fan.

"Of course, see all you had to do was ask. Your speech is just fine," Zhuge Liang answered as calmly as he could, "just speak more confidently. The words will come to you. Speaking of words, how are you doing at understanding the Art of War?" They had reached the river so the Shu scholar started stripping off his armor, didn't matter if you were in battle or not. The only times you took off your armor during times of conflict were sleep and bathing. He had weights added to help his strength so he might be able to gain some.

"It's fairly easy to understand. It seems like I had read it before at sometime," Zhou Yu answered shedding his belts, torso armor, and boots, "what were you and Lu Xun up to today? Aren't you busy having two students?" Zhuge Liang shook his head leaving his robes for the river. It was cold, not as much as he expected so not nearly as uncomfortable as it could have been.

"Lu Xun doesn't require as much as you do, you could say that I am completing his mentor's training that he never got to finish," Zhuge Liang explained, "before your accident... you were his mentor. That is why he was looking out for you back there. It's not your fault, besides its more like I'm reminding you." Zhou Yu shrugged off cape and peeled off the gauntlets and gloves. Which left the black pants, white shirt, and hair tie. He shed the shirt easily, but he had so much damn hair getting the tie out was proving to be quite a task.

"Could you help me with this?" Zhou Yu was knelt near the riverside as Zhuge Liang dealt with the troublesome article in question. Droplets fell along his shoulders as the man's long fingers untied the smallest knot he had ever felt. There was a small splash that indicated he had returned to his bathing. Zhou Yu set the tie and with the other articles of clothing, draping his pants over the entire ensemble.

"I really hope you don't start remembering your past soon," Zhuge Liang commented quietly scrubbing at his skin, " it's not that you weren't a nice guy or anything. Just semi suicidal towards the end." Zhou Yu wasn't quite sure what that meant, but he knew better than to doubt Zhuge Liang by now.

"Does this mean you'll tell me what you know? About me anyways?" Zhou Yu was curious. He didn't really remember anything, it was like a fog had settled in his mind and would not go away. Lu Xun had seemed more familiar than most, as had Zhuge Liang. Others he only recognized their faces, Zhao Yun for instance. He had recognized his face, but couldn't remember his name. The Little Dragon usually looked sad whenever something concerned Zhou Yu that much he could tell.

"When I'm sure you won't try and kill yourself again," was the sad reply. Something was wrong; his foggy mind was telling him there was some reason why he should be alarmed that he was sad. "When you tried the first time I had to pin you to the floor using all of the extra weight my armor gave me. You still would have if Zhao Yun hadn't shown me how to knock people out instantly without harm." Zhuge Liang would not look at him now; if they had been face to face his glance probably would have shifted to the floor.

"I take it you are the reason I can't remember then?" Zhou Yu asked semi calmly.

"Yes and no. I had Zhao Yun hit you hard enough to cause amnesia, after asking your pseudo family if that was alright. Don't ask me who yet," something inside his fragmented skull clicked. The way he presented himself to everyone else, with the exception of his Lord and a few others came across as cold hearted and calculating. Nothing malicious, just smug, all knowing, and very intentionally unsettling.

"I won't then, so can I ask about you instead?" there was something unsettling about silence to him. He felt something in his mind nagging at him when it was, so he avoided that situation. He was rewarded by a sound of confusion from the other man.

"Me? What about?" Zhuge Liang had not expected that. He had expected a lot of things the man could have asked, that was not one of them. He vaguely recalled the expression of guilt and sorrow lacing all the Wu officers' faces when he had asked. The man was very social and very kind to those he trusted. "Why me and not something close to your former self?"

"Anything remotely similar to my former life is likely to restore my memories," Zhou Yu thought aloud, "or in theory. You don't want that to happen, that I get. The thing I don't understand is why you would do something like this for me. My instincts keep telling me that what I see of you is not what you show the world." He didn't really know what he was attempting to ask, but he knew somewhere he wanted answers. This was one of the things he truly wanted to know, why the Sleeping Dragon was tending to a wounded tiger.

"Your theory is valid. That is also my reasoning," the Shu scholar knew he was an intelligent man, but this surpassed his initial conclusion. "Your instincts are correct on more than one occasion. You fascinate me beyond words, especially now that I found the last thing you worked on. Its rather ingenious, though had you still been your former self I probably would have had to say otherwise."

"Please don't tell me about myself, I'm not the same person anymore I realize that. I don't really care what I did or anything," Zhou Yu felt his head start to ache, his knees feeling wobbly, "I want to hear about you, what it is that no one hears because I'm sure I've never heard it." Zhuge Liang barely heard the strain of that last line, and turned to look over the Wu man in the pale moonlight. He waded over cautiously, knowing he was still at a disadvantage physically to the other, but still... Something was wrong.

"Are you alright?" he whispered tapping his shoulder lightly. As his fingers touched the other man a second time his knees gave way forcing the Shu Scholar to catch him. His efforts were certainly made easier by the water since it took off enough pressure for him to keep his head above the water. Sure enough with the sign of a struggle unseen Shu guards appeared to help.

"Lord Zhuge Liang, orders?" it was one of his officers. The Shu Scholar sighed; he had realized that people would guard him when he took this position. The thing was realizing and liking it were two totally separate things.

"Take him back to my tent. After," Zhuge Liang decided he had better mention the next part for Zhou Yu's sake, "You find him a robe or something before taking him through camp like that. Set him down on one of the cots. Dismissed." The unit scurried off quickly; the officer grabbed up Zhou Yu's garments and set them neatly beside the man.

* * *

><p>Crimson Choucho: *snickers* I know how to embarrass Zhuge Liang now...<p> 


	7. Troubled

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: Fine I admit it, Zhuge Liang owns everything! *Looks over shoulder, then hangs head* Actually Koei holds the rights I believe. No money is made by me, but Koei sure makes money off me...

** 7- Troubled**

* * *

><p>When Zhou Yu awoke in the tent with only a blanket wrapped around his person he was a bit shocked. The Shu scholar was nowhere to be seen, a lone flickering candle on the wooden desk with random books. A shuffling behind him alerted Zhou Yu to a presence beside him, snoring softly buried in the blankets he could make out dark haired scholar.<p>

Zhuge Liang didn't appear to be awake; he was merely shifting in his sleep. Zhou Yu wasn't sure why he felt so uncomfortable with the Shu man so close, but with everything that the man had done for him he was willing to overlook some minor discomfort that was there for no apparent reason. He was staying on his side; he wasn't doing anything abnormal... Somewhere in his mind added, 'except breathing.'

It was official; he had hated Liang before his memory loss. He was at a loss as to why he would hate Zhuge Liang after all he had done. The man certainly didn't look so devious asleep, he looked rather... adorable. Zhou Yu often found himself being stared at, if not him then the Shu Prime Minister. Zhou Yu mentally went over what the other man might say if he caught him staring. Well he was about to find out...

Molten chocolate eyes were staring at him sleepily, warm and expressive. Zhou Yu flinched, he debated merely turning around and ignoring the other man's questioning stare. Zhuge Liang frowned slightly as he tried to think of something to say.

"Is there something on my face? Other than the facial hair?" he commented lightly amusement evident with the situation. Zhou Yu said nothing still and attempted to look away by shifting in his cot. He tugged at the blankets pulling them closer. His mind was content on pestering him in a different fashion, it was content on reminding him of a fictitious moonlight scene where... no that never happened. Zhuge Liang's hand found his shoulder.

'Not helping,' Zhou Yu thought miserably. His thoughts were wondering around the last memories to pass through his scattered mind. Memories of the river, memories of the Shu Scholar looking pale across a glossy surface, memories of nothingness. His mind went numb for a moment; it was as if he had hit the wrong place to remember. The hate vanished, the fears dissipated, and the numbness ceased as he was turned around to face Zhuge Liang. A different feeling flooded his chest, it was warm, and it burned through his barely covered body.

"Zhou Yu, relax... Your teeth are chattering so hard you're going to crack something. I can't fix teeth," Zhuge Liang was officially out of his cot and holding Zhou Yu's jaw still. His face was barely inches from Yu's own, he was almost ready to hyperventilate. Well maybe he was already doing so judging from the look of concern on Liang's face.

"What do you fix then?" Zhou Yu managed to ask through his teeth chattering. Zhuge Liang closed his eyes, and smiled lightly. He wrapped the blanket around the shivering man, and then pulled him into his arms. Zhou Yu felt the blaze running through his veins; it was a raging storm of flames licking his limbs.

"Not today, you're suffering from a fever Zhou Yu. This is as personal as it gets, and now you sound cheeky again," Zhuge Liang chuckled lightly, "too bad I can't do anything about that at the moment. Now rest my cheeky little friend, you can tease me tomorrow about whatever was so interesting on my face. Fair enough?" Zhou Yu felt his cheeks go as red as Wu's banners. He nodded in spite of the images going through his mind.

"Tomorrow then?" Zhou Yu felt his mind fall deeper into his own darkness. His dreams returned, the ones centering on Zhuge Liang and the river. His mind was not so innocent as he would have liked to believe. The position that he was being held in and by whom was not helping matters.

The ethereal river from earlier returned to the forefront of his mind, as did the pure natural state of the Shu Prime Minister's body in all its glory glistening in the delicate moonshine from above, revealing all. Zhou Yu had indeed found himself staring at the man earlier; it was hard not to look.

Zhuge Liang not only was one of the brightest men alive, he also appeared to be one of the most... breathtaking was the only word that came to mind. He certainly did hide a lot from the rest of the world, he had a feeling even Liu Bei didn't know just how... gods he was acting like a child.

In his mind of minds he knew what he felt, and knew it was wrong. His heart had decided for him without his consent of course and was blindly following its course towards the other. It wasn't like it was totally unreasonable to want to plan whatever the hell was going on between him and the greatest mind of his time. Not that he was entirely opposed to the idea, but he would at least like the chance to consent to it!

"You're thinking again Zhou Yu," the voice broke his dream argument with himself, "Go to sleep, or I will ensure you can't think." Zhou Yu although he thought he knew what that meant was having a hard time roping in and strangling the thoughts that came with that comment.

"If you'd like me to sleep, might I suggest not making any more comments with double meanings?" Zhou Yu decided upon. He felt the deep chuckle from behind him, had a hard time trying not to squirm. He turned blurry eyed to look at the Sleeping Dragon.

"Your suggestion is... unlikely to change the way I phrase things. Especially considering that I am enjoying myself, by the looks of it you are as well," Zhou Yu found himself following the other man's gaze in mortification. The Wu red had nothing on the shade he was now sporting; it was easily the most embarrassing thing he could remember. "So I must ask Zhou Yu, what were you thinking about that caused that issue..." Zhou Yu shrunk into himself, curling into a ball while still being held by Liang.

"Do I have to answer?" he gave a very girlish squeak as Zhuge Liang let go and he fell to the floor. He heard the tent flap and looked to see the ghost of an after image of the scholar. Uncurling himself he pulled on a pair of pants harshly, he grabbed the blanket he had been wrapped in and followed after the man. Just when he thought it couldn't get more complicated he noticed just where the scholar had gone.

Zhuge Liang had in fact left the tent only to climb fifty or so feet straight up a tree? Zhou Yu couldn't make out the sounds he was mumbling and wasn't really sure he wanted to know.


	8. Up a Tree Without an Axe

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: Koei holds the rights, or so I believe.

As for Koei making money off me, I have played enough Dynasty Warriors to rot a normal person's mind. Enough to unlock the third special background on Orochi Warriors. The one that requires completing every story mode and dream mode at every difficulty level. Zhuge Liang looks like he's on crack or something in it, and everybody, (except Sun Wukong) as Almighty on their weapon.

**8- Up a Tree Without an Axe**

* * *

><p>He knew he should have just shut his mouth; Zhou Yu was bound to remember someday. When the other man finally remembered everything he was going to die a slow and painful death, slower than it took Sima Yi to catch on to plans. Oh karma was going to kill the Shu scholar; he just didn't want to be there when the lights came on. Rather than incriminate him further he fled his own tent, he had no idea what to do with himself for the time being.<p>

He had just been following his heart and then his brain had to come along and mess the whole damn thing up. Or was it the other way around? No, he was pretty sure his heart was what saved Zhou Yu. His mind hadn't actually put up a fight on that, no what his mind was against was what he had just done. He was getting too close.

Zhou Yu was on the mend, and here he was dreaming about jumping the poor guy's bones. Though if the infuriating man would have just answered the damn- no. He would not continue down this road, he was supposed to be the best at tactics, where the hell had this come from?

Oh right, hadn't he told Lu Xun? He loved Zhou Yu, and he probably would have thrown the man on the floor and took him there in front of Lu Xun to prove it. Not that it was a good idea...

Speaking of good ideas, how the hell had he managed to get this far up the tree? He looked down and saw a mass of cloth with two amber eyes staring back up at him. Well at least someone could get help if he managed to fall off the branch. Well first he was going to have to figure out exactly what to tell Zhou Yu about why he took off in the first place. Certainly it had nothing to do with the Wu man, nor was his current predicament the other's fault. He frowned, he was going to have to check he didn't have self blame issues now as well.

"I wonder if he realizes that I took off because I freaked myself out by being so forward..." Zhuge Liang mumbled looking about trying to figure out how to get down now. He heard a shuffling behind him and was on his feet backing up on the branch. Whatever it was moved again and Zhuge Liang felt to his surprise that he was now falling through rather rapidly towards the ground.

"Master Liang!" Liu Bei's eyes widened in horror as he watched his strategist approach the ground at a frightening speed. "Brother Yu do something!" Liang glanced over his shoulder as he watched the most impossible thing he had ever seen.

Zhou Yu was out of the blanket that he had been dozing in and used the great and fearsome Guan Yu as a spring board. Launching himself upward he caught the surprised Scholar. Using the tree not so far away he shoved them both back toward the nearest tent. As he extended his feet to land reality took its break and let the law of inertia catch up to them.

~an object in motion remains in motion until acted upon by an unbalanced force. in this case gravity and the law of probability.~

Zhou Yu's eyes snapped fully open from their concentrating state long enough to comprehend he had just landed on a flexible surface that under no circumstances was weight bearing. As this conclusion raced through his mind Zhuge Liang had already concluded that and that whomever this tent Zhou Yu had sprung onto was not going to be very happy with either of them as he figured that they would land on the unlucky occupant. A loud string of curses supported this theory as they came to stop on a very fleshy destination.

"Damn it get off me!" well there was no mystery to whom they had landed on to. The Shu Scholar grabbed Zhou Yu and tugged his dazed would be rescuer away from the irritated Zhang Fei before he could frisk the ground for his pike.

"How did you pull that off?" Liu Bei asked as they returned to entrance of Zhuge Liang's tent. "Sorry Master Liang, about surprising you like that." Zhuge Liang looked rather calm considering how close he had just came to being skewered by the man's sworn brother.

"Do not worry about it Lord Liu Bei, just announce yourself next time please. I prefer not to fly by accident if you don't mind," the scholar flattened his hair and turned to Zhou Yu whom looked a shade that would typically be on the younger Qiao sister.

"I have no idea, I just moved, next thing I knew I was landing rather badly on someone with another someone in tow," Zhou Yu looked over in Zhang Fei's direction hesitantly. "I think I used to get myself into lots of trouble..."

"I'm starting to think so," Zhuge Liang agreed remembering the tales about Sun Ce during his stay in Wu. Zhou Yu had managed to escape the impossible more than once, and most of those times rescuing Sun Ce along the way. He had ran out of luck in their last outing...


	9. Troublesome

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: Koei knows who all the rights belong to, and it certainly isn't me. I don't speak a lick of chinese.

Good for Zhao Yun, he gets a sparring partner.

** 9- Troublesome**

* * *

><p>Zhou Yu was excused from finishing the Art of War the day after catching Zhuge Liang in mid-air. Zhao Yun had been more than thrilled, and had been surprised to hear of the Kongming's rescue. The sparring wasn't nearly as dreary as Zhao Yun had feared it might be. Zhou Yu sparred more or less like a monkey, jumping from place to place as fast as Zhao Yun could swipe at him. His eyes bulging at the next strike sometimes as he could see the amount of energy headed in his direction.<p>

"Fight as well, don't just run Zhou kun," Zhao Yun reminded him. The Wu man wasn't as into striking his opponent. Which might not have been such a bad thing had there not been a rather massive battle approaching.

"Alright," Zhou Yu let out a breath and let his instincts take over. His sword danced, and Zhao Yun was put on the defensive. The swordsman fought hard against the Little Dragon, and he was driving his opponent back. Zhou Yu found himself slowly falling to a haze of memories, there was himself and another man fighting off enemies back to back. He imagined Zhao Yun with a yellow turban and found it a lot easier to comply to the Little Dragon's requests.

"That's it!" the Little Dragon could see the slightly hazed look in the man's eyes. It didn't really bother him seeing as the man was fighting with the ferocity needed for the coming battle. He was also aware that Zhuge Liang was discreetly watching the Wu man's progress, he could feel his stare on their backs.

The Wu tiger was indeed vicious, Zhao Yun was thrilled at the chance to spar with the full strength man. The Little Dragon couldn't hold back much, and he soon discovered that as it progressed the Wu man tired. As he tired he became even more...dangerous. The Little Dragon, backed off trying to get the man's attention and stop him from swinging.

"Zhou Yu, you can stop now," Zhao Yun started to worry, the haze wasn't fading... It was only getting more worrisome, the Wu man wasn't slowing and he was getting just plain... destructive. He could sense the Shu Scholar growing uneasy, in fact... the Shu Scholar was approaching them, his fan was twitching wildly.

"Zhou Yu, come back to us," Zhuge Liang whispered. The Wu man's eyes were blazing beyond the haze coating them, the Shu Scholar frowns. He shifts the wind to push the Wu man away from Zhao Yun, and he only fights harder to reach the Little Dragon. "Zhao Yun run, I'll hold him off, get Lord Guan Yu or Lord Zhang Fei... He'll soon be beyond our control." Zhao Yun had never seen Zhuge Liang fight before, and he had always thought it was because he couldn't. The Shu Prime Minister had inserted himself between the Little Dragon and Zhou Yu, his technique left something to be desired but the courage behind each block was unfaltering.

As he stepped away he could feel the ki that the Prime Minister of Shu start to rise past even his own levels.

"Zhou Yu, please don't make me fight you," the Shu Scholar whispered as he parried more of his attacks. He could feel something interfering with Zhou Yu's mind, but what he wasn't sure...

He felt like he was outnumbered, that was until he felt sorcerer's presence (Zhang Jiao). Zhou Yu cringed at the amount of magic dancing around him, the Yellow Turban officer he had been fighting had been rescued by the Monkey Shaman. He could feel the power flowing off the staff below his sword, only... The power that was flowing beneath his sword wasn't the same.

He jumped back looking for any changes in the landscape, then he realized something, it wasn't a yellow turban officer he had been fighting. It had been the Little Dragon! So who was he experiencing that could be the Monkey Shaman?

His eyes started to clear as he fell back with the sudden gust of wind. The Shu Scholar was standing before him, his face was a mixture of pride and sadness.

Zhou Yu's eyes widened, he had been so concentrated that he had forgotten it was a mere spar. So much so that he might have killed Lord Zhao Yun, he dropped his sword and cradled his head between his hands in shame.

As soon as Zhou Yu dropped the sword the Shu Scholar approached him, he wasn't sure if he was surrendering to memory or not. When he noticed the ki coming off Zhou Yu he realized that the man had calmed considerably, and was even... Ashamed? Nodding in understanding, he set the fan aside gently raising Zhou Yu's head cradled in his hands. There was no haze, he had returned to his senses.

"What is wrong?" were the first words that slipped from his mouth, "you have nothing to be ashamed over." Zhou Yu took back his head and stuffed it in his hands. Shame still radiated from the Wu man.

"I almost killed the Little Dragon... in order to truly spar I had to imagine him as an entirely different person. In doing so I lost the point of the exercise Master Liang," Zhou Yu shook his head pitifully, "have I fought men with yellow turbans before?" Zhuge Liang blinked, he himself had not fought in that battle. He had however not considered that Zhou Yu might have been old enough...

(At nine years old?)

"Perhaps... there was a war, or rather rebellion concerning Yellow Turbans," Zhuge Liang admitted, "... is that who you thought we were? Yellow Turban officers?" Zhou Yu looked unsure, he could have sworn there was a more powerful ki than Liang's here a few minutes ago...

"Was there a monkey shaman as its leader?" he asked quietly. Zhuge Liang did not know who might be considered a monkey in the Yellow Turbans, thankfully he was spared trying to by Lord Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun's timely appearance.

"Lord Zhang Fei, do you recall a man amongst the yellow turbans that resembled a monkey by chance?" he asked the approaching general. The man scratched his beard, completely forgetting why Zhao Yun had called him out here in the first place.

"Now that ya mention it yeah, guy was a fruitcake," he rubbed a hand against his beard in thought, "Zhang Jiao, the leader of the Yellow Turbans looked a hell of a lot like a monkey. Especially with that swaying motion he was constantly doing... What's that got to do with Yun here yanking me out of breakfast?"

"That man was a powerful sorcerer, right?" Zhou Yu asked this time, he was certain he had fought the man.

"Course, the man was dropping boulders on all of us, setting things on fire, and making life in general miserable. Think you got a few hits on him too kid, brother Yu finished him off of course," the general looked around for a moment, "seems whatever was going on Yun, they got it handled. I'm going back to breakfast." The stout warrior general waved and made his way back to the mess tents.

"Did I miss something?" Zhao Yun asked. The Shu Scholar shook his head, "then what's all this talk about Yellow Turbans for?"

"I pictured you as a Yellow Turban officer in order to spar better and got lost in my memories," Zhou Yu explained, "and for some odd reason, when Master Liang switched with you I thought he was this Zhang Jiao..." Liang twitched, Zhao Yun started laughing. He honestly could not picture two more different people being similar. He realized that Zhou Yu must not have noticed just how much magic the Shu Scholar possessed if he thought it was odd.

"That's a relief, and here I thought you actually remembered something relevant," Zhuge Liang frowned, "I'm going back to my tent, that was far too much excitement for this scholar..." Zhou Yu looked over at Zhao Yun who was still staring at them in mirth.

"I'd advise you do the same Lord Zhou Yu, you look about ready to collapse again," Zhao Yun pointed out, Zhuge Liang nodded, "that's enough training for now. Did you need anything else done Lord Zhuge Liang?" The Shu Scholar shook his head, and the Little Dragon was off.


	10. Surreal

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: Koei knows who all the rights belong to, and it certainly isn't me. I don't speak a lick of chinese.

Uh-oh, Zhuge's got a secret. Too bad Liu Bei noticed...

Last time:

"That's a relief, and here I thought you actually remembered something relevant," Zhuge Liang frowned, "I'm going back to my tent, that was far too much excitement for this scholar..." Zhou Yu looked over at Zhao Yun who was still staring at them in mirth.

**10- Surreal**

* * *

><p>When his lord called him to his quarters later the hermit knew he was in trouble. Zhao Yun had witnessed something that most people didn't know he could do... The amount of power he had to conceal, plus the amount of Chi controlled during his attack might have caught the attention of the whole camp...<p>

"Master Liang, how soon will your plans be ready?" were the first words out of his mouth. The Shu Scholar relaxed visibly, he had expected a comment concerning the earlier spar.

"The most crucial factors will be done soon my Lord, all that remains is with Wu's portion of the forces," Zhuge Liang brought forth a copy of the Chi Bi schematics that he had edited, still retaining Zhou Yu's original colors across the map, "Wu has the ships ready, the most pressing factor left which is what we are waiting on is Cao Cao's declaration of battle. Which given the instigator we sent their way shouldn't be longer than a couple more weeks."

"I assume you mean the fledging phoenix?" Liu Bei inquired looking over the plans again, Liang nodded, "well that's promising. Master Liang, I also heard a curious statement earlier." The Shu lord certainly had a way of creating stress for him, Liang raised an eyebrow trying not to show any of the nervousness he was feeling at present. "Zhao Yun told me that was your chi I felt earlier." Oh boy, that was not good...

"Even if it was Master Liang, that is your business and if you have a reason for not using it I trust you. I would however like to know how I am supposed to explain the amount of Chi you released to the other generals." Liang let his shoulders relax, he was glad that he had accepted Liu Bei's request. While the man knew how to stress him out he also knew the delicacy of such secrets in war times.

"Well we certainly can't claim that it was Lord Zhou Yu's, that would make the entire camp nervous... I would prefer that it came across as a fluke overall," the Shu Scholar thought about the circumstances. There weren't a whole lot of options in dealing with it, "perhaps we could say it was a new recruit that ended up dying by over extending his chi?" The Shu lord looked somewhat amused by the Scholar's suggestion.

"Rebel soldiers that interrupted Zhao Yun's and Lord Zhou Yu's training, and brother Fei killed him when he arrived?" Liu Bei suggested, "he won't say anything Master Liang. Just give him a lot of drinks as thanks and that should be enough. I know Zhao Yun will not repeat his statement to anyone else. Just let him know the story." The Shu lord smiled lightly for a second, "did Lord Zhou Yu really believe you two were Yellow Turbans? I also heard from Zhao Yun when you interfered he thought you were Zhang Jiao." the Shu Lord's mirth was obvious at the thought.

"Unfortunately, I still don't see how the preacher came to mind when I interfered," Zhuge Liang trailed off to a low mutter, "as for the Chi, it most likely won't happen again my Lord. Normally I'm not using magic and sparring with people like General Zhao Yun and Lord Zhou Yu. It was probably the combination of magic and..." Liu Bei held up a hand.

"That was not just from the magic Master Liang, the Chi you were releasing is quite specific to magic in some ways yes," his lord looked at him with a small frown, "it corresponds to the fact you are the Sleeping Dragon Master Liang. Your spiritual energy is far beyond the comprehension of most men, but it is very similar to Lord Zhao Yun's. When you awaken your energy from its dormant state it will always come across as terrifying to others because it is a divine energy." While the Shu Scholar had known about it somewhat, he had not in fact researched about why his spirit energy was quite so... huge? To hear that the Shu Lord actually had compiled some knowledge on the matter only made him less worried.

"I will approach you again to discuss this matter my Lord, for I have not yet looked into it," he announced, "as for now I have work yet to accomplish, if you will excuse me."

Liu Bei nodded watching the man go, he could see the Chi still lingering around Liang's form. It appeared that something had changed with the Scholar, the Chi was flickering subtlety enough that only a trained eye could spot it.

Liu Bei however did not understand why it was flickering that way, he had seen the former Lord Sun Jian's chi do that as well. It did not bode well to the Shu Lord to see his strategist displaying his Chi in that manner.


	11. Laying Foundations

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: Well Koei and Omega force own the rights, and the characters own me, so does that make me the property of Koei as well?

Hmm, so Lu Meng does exist... Too bad he gets cursed by Guan Yu's head and killed.

Last Time:

"I will approach you again to discuss this matter my Lord, for I have not yet looked into it," he announced, "as for now I have work yet to accomplish, if you will excuse me."

Liu Bei nodded watching the man go, he could see the Chi still lingering around Liang's form. It appeared that something had changed with the Scholar, the Chi was flickering subtlety enough that only a trained eye could spot it.

Liu Bei however did not understand why it was flickering that way, he had seen the former Lord Sun Jian's chi do that as well. It did not bode well to the Shu Lord to see his strategist displaying his Chi in that manner.

**11- Laying Foundations**

* * *

><p>Zhuge Liang received word of Pang Tong's achievements in the Wei army much sooner than he anticipated. He was going over reports when the messenger appeared with the good news, Zhou Yu had not been present at the meetings between himself and Lu Xun for a time. It was decidedly better if even the young Wu prime minister believed him dead.<p>

His identity had been safely disguised, and Zhuge Liang missed seeing him around his tent. Zhao Yun had been expanding his knowledge of weapons again as well according to Lord Liu Bei. Even the Shu Prime Minster had not seen him for weeks, only the Little Dragon had and he reported in twice a week by messenger.

The Little Dragon and the former Wu strategist had been training new recruits for the Shu army. Zhou Yu didn't appear concerned at the notion, but had looked a little sad when he realized that the Shu Scholar would not be joining them. Lord Zhang Fei's troops had been dispatched to join them only the day before, with Guan Yu's to join them the following day. The Shu Scholar had made it the utmost importance that they move their troops discretely. He would in fact be the last to join up with the factions before the Chi Bi battle.

He worried that Cao Cao would discover how involved Shu was in the plot before he committed to battle, then he would summon more troops and that would make their fight that much harder. Lu Xun had agreed, it was best not to flaunt numbers in this battle.

Lu Meng had been briefed in as the senior strategist from Wu, Lu Xun just didn't have the full command experience yet... Lu Meng would serve as the joint commander, Lu Xun would be calling the shots for the fire boats, and Zhuge Liang would summon the southeastern winds. There was one more factor that Zhuge Liang mentioned to Lu Meng as commander, Zhou Yu would appear at the top of the cliff at the moon's height pale and clever as always.

Not that Lu Meng knew that the man was actually alive, it should act as a morale boost for the allied forces. Or it would weaken the morale of the Wei troops who had assumed that he was dead thanks to Pang Tong once again.

Three days, three days until Cao Cao and his troops attacked at most. Then Zhou Yu would be put back on just his path to recovery. Zhuge Liang had no idea what the other man would do once he recovered, he had hoped to convince the man to stay in Shu.

If however, Zhou Yu's memories returned after seeing all of the Wu troops he could only hope that the man could keep himself composed during the battle. If his memories returned, would he still care? Would he even realize how much had been done for him? Zhuge Liang tried his best to forget how much resentment the Wu man had held towards him. However there was only so much that was actually Zhou Yu's fault, Zhuge Liang had encouraged the hate.

Something he hoped he would never have to face again. Yet, it was something evitable because of Zhuge Liang's own choices in fact. Why hadn't he simply courted the man instead of tormenting him to begin with?

'Wait... Court him?' Zhuge Liang's mouth started to hang open in disbelief, 'since when did he want to court the man?' Though at this point he was more than convinced that the recovering Zhou Yu would not object him doing so...


	12. Mischievious Midnight

**WHAT HAPPENED?**

SLASH ZL x ZY

Disclaimer: Not mine, not yours, and certainly not theirs. Probably Koei and Omega force hold the rights?

At Chi Bi we now stand, ready to face that vicious army of... steer?

** 12- Mischievous Midnight**

* * *

><p>The Shu Prime minister looked up troubled, the moon had taken a bloody red hew. A lot of troops had thought it a bad omen, Zhao Yun had thought as much himself... Speaking of the Little Dragon he had been assigned to watch over Zhuge Liang while he prayed for the wind... Zhou Yu was out of sight, but not the Shu men's minds.<p>

He sat before the alter and prayed, he of course hoped no one would notice the silent tears running down his face.

Zhao Yun of course noticed the faint glistening on Shu Prime Minister's face. He decided for the other man's dignity not to mention it, he knew those tears were for Zhou Yu. The Shu Prime Minister, this was his opinion, had finally broken in and cared for someone. This was a good and bad thing in the Little Dragon's opinion as well, the Shu Scholar might finally get a better attitude...

The Little Dragon easily fended off Cao Cao's forces, keeping the very sad Sleeping Dragon safe from his outer demons. As the battle progressed Zhao Yun could feel a tension fill the air, he had to hold back the smile when he looked up at the cliff high above.

Zhuge Liang's knees ached, no matter how much he called the wind simply would not come. Then he felt it, not as close as it had been, but it was there. He opened his eyes and looked, high above the battle perched atop a white mare sat Zhou Yu. Ancient's sword in hand surveying the battle like a ghost, his formal Wu attire making it even more so.

The Shu Scholar could feel the stillness of the battlefield, all eyes were on Zhou Yu. He held up his sword and motioned with a triumphant smirk forward march. For a moment there was stunned silence, then blusterous battle cries from the Wu men.

Zhuge Liang felt his heart soar at the sight, he prayed for the wind one more time and watched the Wu man's hair start to blow over his face. From the Southeast! The Shu man scolded himself, of course he could call forth the wind. He just had to be relaxed when he did, he watched the Wu man back the horse away from the cliff and work his way down into their midst. The Little Dragon General greeting him warmly as he covered his Wu colors with Shu ones. Sword drawn aside to fend off any would be ensuers.

He remained at the altar watching the Wu man approach with a soft expression, he was batting enemies away like they were mere flies. Zhuge Liang was trying to decide if this was good or bad, that meant not only was Zhou Yu back to full strength... He was probably stronger now, and Zhuge Liang won't have minded if he weren't so worried. It seemed however that he either did not remember or did not care at this point.

"Master Liang, I apologize for a prolonged absence. I was told that it was something I could do to help," Zhou Yu smiled lightly, "my tardiness almost cost us though, do you think Lord Lu Xun was surprised?" He asked almost giddy at the idea, the Shu Scholar nodded with a small smile.

"If I was surprised, then he certainly was, although I wonder which was more of a surprise... You coming back from the dead the first or the second time," Liang desperately wanted to hug the man... Actually... that could be arranged. Where was that mare? "We should check in on Lu Xun and Lord Lu Meng, where is your horse?" The Wu man nodded, and whistled the beautiful white mare trotted up right away. Zhou Yu pulled himself up effortlessly, then pulled the Shu Scholar up.

He wrapped his arms around the Wu man's waist as he lead them towards the center of the boats. When the enemies started to veer a little to close Liang pulled out his fan. He whipped up a gust that blew them out of range of the horse. Zhou Yu pulled his knees in tighter, and Liang almost dropped his fan in an attempt to hold on as the horse jumped from one boat to another. He stuffed the object back in his robes tying the handle to his belt just in case.

The only warning he got the next time was stiffening of the Wu man's back muscles before they went boat hopping again. Liang decided he was going to walk, the rocking and jumping motions threatened to make him sick. "Lord Lu Xun!" He heard Zhou Yu call cheerily, the younger man waver back his twin eagles glistening brightly.

"Zhou Yu! Master Liang a little warning would have been nice, I almost fell off my horse in surprise," Lu Xun shook his finger at the almost motion sick man, but then he started blushing. He had in fact heard the truth from Zhuge Liang's mouth, but the fact that both men were riding the mare in such close proximities made his cheeks flush. Neither of those two allowed such a thing normally.

"I assure you that quite pales in comparison to the churning my stomach is currently doing," Zhuge Liang contemplated whether or not to get off the mare, his contemplation was ended when one of Zhou Yu's hands reached down to meet his that were around his waist. It cradled and warmed his cold hands, it was hard not to smile at the gesture in front of Lu Xun.

"My apologies Kongming," Zhou Yu told him softly, he raised his voice to talk to Lu Xun, "is there anywhere that we need reinforcements Lord Lu Xun?" The Wu strategist blinked and pointed behind them. It was too late however, with violent strikes to the head the three of them taken.

* * *

><p><strong>Crimson Choucho: <strong>This is not the end, however it is the end of what is actually written for the most part on this right now. If you'd like to see more leave a review or PM if you'd like requesting the update. All typos that are intentional are limited to the author's notes, anything else is just an error.


	13. Dungeons of Wei

**Crimson Choucho: **This happens to be one of a few stories I have been able to muse for since my mother passed away in March, so it might start taking some interesting turns. I want to say that right now typed wise I have it about two thirds of the way resolved.

**Dungeons of Wei**

* * *

><p>Zhuge Liang was the first to awaken, he found Zhou Yu and Lu Xun thrown in a cell with him. There was only a flickering candle to tell him just what the outlines of their confinement was. Zhou Yu and Lu Xun's weapons had been taken, he could feel his fan still tucked in one of his armors. Actually, he was the only one of the three that still retained his armor...<p>

"Awake are you, so much for being the sleeping dragon," the voice was readily sarcastic, it would have been far more serious if it hadn't been Pang Tong speaking. "Sima Yi caught you, I didn't expect him to pull such a move during your strikes. For your information Cao Cao's forces retreated and it is an allied win... However... Wei now has three very valuable hostages." Zhuge Liang tried not to frown at the idea.

"I should have listened to the moon," the Shu man was irritated, "we are underground aren't we? No, definitely judging by the smell... Why is it I still have my armor?" Not to be ungrateful, but he needed facts and fast.

"I warned them against tampering with you. Your display trying to calm him down alarmed me even, I didn't want to set anything off or manage to trigger that. Sima Yi actually agreed thanks to his overactive paranoia and the amount of soldiers that felt that disturbance all the way in Xu Chang." Pang Tong leaned against the far wall somewhat casually, "I would rather not fight you if necessary Kongming, if you would kindly remove your armor and slide it through to join the others..." He could see the two sets of armor sitting off in the corner, he supposed it was better they not realize it was a fluke...

"As opposed to having forcibly removed I assume?" the moth like man nodded. "All of them or just the actual protection?" A curious expression crossed Pang Tong's face, "you are aware that I do not possess a whole lot of physical strength, my talents are based on the mind."

"All of it, Sima Yi wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I didn't. I will throw a random sword on the pile for you, consider my debt paid by that," Pang Tong left the room, probably to get a sword as Zhuge Liang started to remove parts of his many armors. Before joining Liu Bei he had no reason to doubt he had a reasonable amount of strength. Then he watched over the three during the Chang Ban escape. He had no doubts about his conclusion, he was the weakest strength wise of the Shu Generals. Even Huang Zhong had more... and he was ancient.

When had finished removing his armor Pang Tong returned setting the sword he had brought next to the pile. Zhuge Liang then went to check the two Wu men, Zhou Yu had a rather large knot on the back of his head from what he could feel as did Lu Xun by the looks of it. The smaller Wu man woke first, bright amber darted around, he then tried reaching for his twin swords that were on display through the other side of the bars.

"It's quite pointless to try for those right now," the Shu man spoke softly gaining the Wu boy's attention, "Sima Yi left them in plain sight to encourage desperation. There is no reason to give in to this idea, besides we may have a much worse problem on our hands… Zhou Yu has been knocked upside the head again." Lu Xun understood that this was bad at the very least.

"Glad to see you awake little boy, and you…" the voice almost made the shu scholar's stomach roll, "always a pleasure to lock a legend away before it can truly soar." The look of other distain crossing the other man's face. Zhuge Liang frowned, he had moved Zhou Yu's head to be cradled in his lap. "The Legendary Sleeping Dragon of Shu. Fat lot of good that does you when you're so deep in whatever that is you're in to see what's unfolding right in front of you. Lost your touch already, Sleeping Dragon? Or is it the Dying Dragon?"

"Your taunts are worthless against me," Zhuge Liang announced bored, "I am what I am, and we all start dying from the day we are born. So we are all dying, your conclusion is worthless. What do you want, you glorified peacock." Lu Xun was watching this with some unease, he could see the absolute rage building in the other man.

"You would do wise to ask your captor's name before insulting them so callously," the man warned in a low growl. His growl however had nothing on the expression crossing Zhuge Liang's face. The Shu prime minster abhorred violence, words were so much easier to use against someone, especially when they believed you had access to something that they did not.

"Why should I care about who I insult if I am about to die? Besides all the names have been accounted for, Sima Yi," the Shu man responded with a little more venom than intended.

"How could you know…" the man back pedaled looking around, "how could you know my name? Well it does not matter, I will have the answer from your flesh then we shall see who cares." The man laughed chillingly, he walked away leaving the three men in the cage to wonder what's going on.

"What are we going to do?" Lu Xun asked nervously. He came to sit in front of Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu, the older of the two finally starting to come to, "welcome back, did you miss us?" The Wu man held his head looking up the eyes watching him cautiously.

"Liang, where are we?" Zhou Yu asked, the Shu scholar relaxed visibly, "why are you so frightened?" The younger man allowed Zhou Yu's head to leave his lap reluctantly, he was still concerned of course…

"They hit your head hard enough to give you a concussion," Zhuge Liang smiled softly, "but it is safe to say that for now you are alright. You didn't get hit hard enough for your memories to return, I am not sure when, if ever, your memories will return."

"I'm glad they didn't," Zhou Yu answered curtly, "it would mean I go back to hating you again Liang. I would not ask you to go through that, not when it would mean such violent venomous hate towards you…" Zhuge Liang nodded, he already knew what would happen if Zhou Yu did remember. It would be the day that he died, or at least that's what he presumed.

"Now is not the time to discuss such things, now is time to prove why you don't corner a dragon and two tigers. Especially three capable ones such as ourselves," Zhuge Liang smiled softly, "even a dying dragon can put up a fight."

"Don't say that, you aren't really dying, are you Liang?" Zhou Yu frowned, "I thought you said we weren't discussing that now." Lu Xun looked through the bars, there was a brief moment of movement beyond the bars.

"Who's there?" Lu Xun growled out, "show yourself." Pang Tong slunk forward, he was weary looking with someone trailing behind him. "Two someone's I am getting rusting already…"

"Not really, the Fledging Phoenix doesn't really make noise… I wouldn't have guessed you could be so quiet with those heels Lord Zhang He," Zhuge Liang spoke quietly, "have you set your sights on Sima Yi now General?" Pang Tong frowned, and leaned forward to examine his friend discretely.

"Of course," the tall elegant general said calmly, "how would you know of that Lord Zhuge Liang?"

"Because I know," the scholar answered. He dropped backwards smoothly onto the grime coated floor, "that and his sense of style hardly states he's not interested. Am I right Lord Lu Xun, or am I reading you wrong as well?" The little Wu man seemed startled, and the Fledgling Phoenix let out a low laugh…

"Takes one to know one doesn't it?" the masked man leaned back up, "I suppose you're only lovesick then. That is tolerable, it would be a shame if our games were to cease so easily…" He looked back up at the Wei officer present, "I believe the only one in the wrong place now is the poor little Wu pyro."

"What are you talking about?" Lu Xun blushed madly, "I'm not chasing after anyone, let alone another man!" Zhou Yu looked over to Zhuge Liang who chuckled lightly, Pang Tong laughed harder as did Zhang He. "What are you all laughing about?" The little strategist watched as Zhuge Liang sat up staring at him with a wondrous face.

"Did you not notice? There was one vying for your attention discretely, perhaps he should have groped you then you might have noticed his intentions. There is one in Wu who is probably hot on the trail, if we don't start hearing bells soon I would be surprised," Zhuge Liang placed a hand to his chin.

"No… that's not entirely right Liang, it would have to be the other," Zhou Yu interrupted, "unless… perhaps it's a three way triangle?" The scholar paused in his thoughts and looked over to the older Wu man.

"Perhaps, that would be interesting..." the Shu scholar thought temptingly enough.


	14. Not Up For Debate

Not Up For Debate

Zhuge Liang ignored the pain making its way up his back as Zhou Yu walked towards him again. Sima Yi had been most unamused with his antics, and it had been delivered by the nine cat tails with no small amount of animosity. The Shu scholar had refrained from crying out, but damn did it hurt. Cat tail whips were among Zhuge Liang's most hated items, they scared something terrible, and often left one in pain for days. Simple pressure points caused the necessary pain, and just long enough that there was no long lasting damage.

Zhou Yu was unaware of how much pain they were inflicting upon him, but that was because both Lu Xun and Zhuge Liang refused to allow him to be aware of it. After farming for several years Liang could tune out more pain than most people realized, that didn't mean it didn't hurt, but it wasn't something he allowed to mentally inhibit him. It was all a matter of the mind, and Liang had long since found his to be superior to most of those around him. By tuning out all unnecessary things he could essentially carry on mostly normal.

Sima Yi had already underestimated the amount of pain he would go through for Zhou Yu, he had no idea just how much he would sacrifice to see him freed from the dungeons of Wei.


	15. Free Fall

Free Fall

Gods his head ached, what had he and Sun Ce been doing? Zhou Yu looked around, he was in cot covered in green and gold linens. His eyes bugged out, what was he doing in Shu? He was up and dressed in minutes, as he crossed the threshold he was greeted to many sets of eyes belonging to men clad in green. There was one red clad figure nearby, a giant block of white surrounding one of his legs.

"Ah good to see you Zhou Yu, how's the head?" that was little Lu Xun, Zhou Yu thought he recognized the other boy as a Wei soldier, "this is Lord Jiang Wei. Zhuge Liang had just lured him into Shu when this happened, he's to become his apprentice." The Wu man frowned, why on earth were the two of them in Shu?

"Lu Xun, explain something to me… How did we of all people end up in Shu, by ourselves no less?" Zhou Yu questioned. The two boys in front of him sent worried looks towards each other, "what's with that look?" Lu Xun held his gaze for a moment, his eyes widening in realization.

"You… you don't remember anything do you? Not even Sun Ce's… this is not good. Jiang Wei, you need to warn your lord now," Lu Xun prompted, "Go, tell him this is the Wu Zhou Yu, not the one we've been interacting with for the past couple of months." The Wei turned Shu boy ran off and Zhou Yu was left with a puzzle like no other.

"What are you even talking about?" Zhou Yu questioned.

"I'm afraid you will find out soon enough, as will the broken dragon," Lu Xun mumbled in concern.

Liu Bei remained at the side of his prime minister, the younger man had broken nearly every bone he had in the fall. He had yet to regain consciousness, and there was talk that if he didn't awake soon that he was not going to. Zhuge Liang was laid out prone in front of him, wrapped up as carefully as they could manage. The Shu Lord didn't want to think about what he was seeing, the slow and painful death of one of his generals, one of his friends.

"Lord Liu Bei," a voice behind him startled him, "I come with news on Lord Zhou Yu's condition." In that moment there was a definite gasp of air from Zhuge Liang's body, but when it remained mostly motionless he turned to Jiang Wei.

"What news have you?" the Shu Lord asked reconfiguring so he could look at the apprentice and his strategist at the same time.

"Lord Zhou Yu is awake," the young man informed him quietly, his eyes however held a fear that made a shiver run down the Shu Lord's spine, "there is a slight problem…" Liu Bei frowned, there could only be one problem that he was speaking of, and made his blood run cold. He let his stare linger onto Zhuge Liang's form for a moment longer.

"Call Zhao Yun, he shouldn't be left alone right now," the Shu Lord instructed, "I will speak with them myself. I just can't leave him here alone knowing that…." Jiang Wei nodded and left, he missed the tears that his Lord shed on the Shu Prime Minister's behalf.

"You called for me My Lord?" the Little Dragon asked hesitantly. Liu Bei nodded, rising from his seat slowly.

"Please watch over Master Liang in my absence, a matter has come to my attention that I have to deal with personally," Liu Bei instructed as he wiped the tears from his eyes, "you are not to leave his side until I return myself and say otherwise." The Little Dragon looked at his little Lord and sat down in the seat he had occupied, he didn't say a word about the tears.

"You have my word Lord Liu Bei," the Little Dragon nodded, "do what you need to do."

"Thank you Zhao Yun," the Shu Lord whispered as he walked out of the tent semi voluntarily for the first time in days.

"Lu Xun just what are we doing here?" Zhou Yu hissed, he felt so uneasy just being in this camp. Then at the same time he could feel himself being pulled deeper into the camp, like he was missing something. Then the young Jiang Wei reappeared, with Lord Liu Bei of Shu in tow. Lu Xun bowed his head slightly, and Zhou Yu did the same with a raised eyebrow. What the hell had Sun Ce gotten them into now?

"Lord Zhou Yu it is best we speak in private, please follow me," the Lord of Shu spoke softly, his eyes were bright red. Why would such a man as Liu Bei be crying? Lu Xun and Jiang Wei were suddenly gone, *back to Liang's tent actually* and he was left to follow the Shu Lord to a scenic looking hill overlooking a river of some sort.

"There are things that you need to know, the first is that you have just come out of a long term amnesia and that you stayed in my camp during that time," the Shu Lord explained slowly, "the second, you should sit down first Lord Zhou Yu, is that your good friend Sun Ce has been dead since before the amnesia began. Lord Sun Quan allowed us to try and help you through it and that is why you are here."

"Sun Ce was shot… by an ambush on the road," Zhou Yu could vaguely remember, "He was defending Da Qiao, I managed to help deflect a lot of the arrows, but someone managed to hit him. Poison tipped too if I recall correctly, that is prior to me blacking out and waking up here. How long have I been here?" The Shu Lord slumped against a tree, he closed his eyes, he was starting to cry again. What the hell?

"About seven months, I was adamant that if you were going to stay here that you would be treated fairly. I should have sent you back to Wu…" the Shu man sighed, "there is a story that is not mine to tell. One of my officers went out of their way to help you, I would say that went so far as to endanger themselves to keep you safe. The fact that you cannot remember the amount of respect and care that they showed for you right now… that officer doesn't appear to have much longer to live." Zhou Yu was more than a little surprised, a Shu officer had cared for him during his time here, not only that endangered themselves? Who would…

"He's dying, and there's nothing that can be done for it. His chi is the only thing keeping him alive at present," the Shu Lord explained, "and you can't even ask about him. I'd ask if you were cold hearted on the matter, but I already know the answer… Let my physicians attend to your arm and other injuries, if after he awakes and you have heard his side… if you still want to leave then you can go. But until then, please don't leave yet, your lingering presence might be all that's keeping him alive."

"Lord Liu Bei… Are you suggesting that my Chi is feeding this officer of yours? That's almost unheard of, you can't tell me that's possible," Zhou Yu asked exasperatedly, "in my condition that could kill me. Not to mention only people of immense spiritual power could possibly pull off something like that…"

"You've been out cold for two weeks Lord Zhou Yu, you would have been dead had he not fallen first taking the majority of the blow," Liu Bei explained, "a fifty foot drop is normally a death sentence, but you landed on my officer. Or something to that effect, he was still conscious when we arrived on the scene to rescue you three."

"Three? Who else was there?" Zhou Yu asked a little stunned by this new information.

"Lord Lu Xun was," the Shu Lord answered, "as was Master Zhuge Liang." Zhou Yu's mouth nearly hit the ground, he had been saved by the Shu Prime Minister himself?

"That's not possible," Zhou Yu mumbled. Liu Bei stood up, and Zhou Yu found himself following behind as they entered a plain white tent. Inside the found the two young strategists talking with the Little Dragon.

"But it is…" Liu Bei nodded to Zhao Yun before leaving the tent. Zhou Yu could only stare in disbelief at the current condition of his arch enemy.


	16. Awareness

Awareness

The first thing Zhuge Liang felt when he drifted back into consciousness was the strong feeling of disbelief, and he was acutely aware that it wasn't coming from him. He couldn't open his eyes, he couldn't move, he could just feel the chi's of the men around them. The problem was one of them was linked directly into his own, which was depleted to the point he should be dead. This man was keeping him alive, how could they? His spiritual energy was basically nonexistent, his chi was tapped dangerously low, and his physical body ached so much he felt like he had been substituted with Guan Yu's Gold Dragon halberd during Chang Ban.

"How is he alive? I mean… he's barely breathing and you said he's broken nearly every bone in his body," that voice… so familiar… with his nerves finally starting to calm his mind drifted back out of consciousness. Nearly every bone broken? That sounded right, he also had internal damage going as well by the feel of it.

"What the hell…" Lu Xun jumped backwards, the Shu Scholar's chest had begun to rise and fall rapidly for a couple moments. Then it stopped entirely, the three men standing there were frozen in place, it seemed like eternity before the soft rise and fall of the Shu man's chest restarted.

"He's not awake," Zhou Yu confirmed, "he was briefly semi conscious there for a moment, but not very long. His chi reached out at all of us, it's rather thread bare to what I remember…" Lu Xun looked at the other man, Zhou Yu was ghostly white so Lu Xun motioned for the other chair. Zhao Yun was forgotten momentarily as the two younger men made sure the former Wu strategist sat down.

"Well that's to be expected," Zhao Yun announced making all but the unconscious Shu Scholar jump in surprise, "he was forced to use his chi to break himself, Lu Xun, and you out of Sima Yi's clutches. Lu Xun claims he actually became a dragon for a while, he was very much human when we found you. However the chi blast in combination with that roar that echoed out… I don't know what to think." The Little Dragon shrugged, he placed a hand softly on Zhuge Liang's cot.

"I don't understand, why did he…" Zhou Yu was staring, complete confusion on his face, "how… obviously he's inches from death, but why would he do that for me? I thought that he hated me, he was never anything but cruel to me…" Lu Xun wished he could explain everything, but the only thing he really knew was that Zhuge Liang hadn't lied to him. He really did love the Wu man, and the fact that he was lying there right now in that condition only proved that point more. The problem was it wasn't their place to tell Zhou Yu that he was completely wrong.

"You need to hear Master Liang's story before you judge him," Jiang Wei spoke up, "if you leave now it will probably kill both of you because of your linked chi at the moment. The best you can do is recover the best you can, Lord Liu Bei will make sure you get an adequate amount of food to make up for the drain on your chi." Zhou Yu shook his head, he closed his eyes after looking at the ceiling in confusion.

"What the hell happened?" the Wu man whispered.

* * *

><p>The next time that Zhuge Liang drifted into consciousness he was actually able to identify more of who was in the room. He still felt drained, but he could distinctly make out Zhao Yun and Lord Liu Bei's chi next to him. He reached out to them and tugged with what little spiritual strength he had at the moment, his entire body went from numb to on fire with that.<p>

"Master Liang?" Liu Bei's concerned tones were low, "are you alright? I suppose that's a stupid question all things considered, but what is it?" The Shu Scholar groaned, maybe communicating right now wasn't the best option… A hand rested on his forehead for a moment before it quickly retreated. The scholar instantly realized that he had a fever considering the utter coolness of said hand. All he could manage to get out was a groan so far as communication went.

"He's got a fever," that voice did not belong to that hand… "he's also in a lot of pain." Zhou Yu? The Shu Scholar wanted to open his eyes, but the burning… A lot of pain was an understatement, but to hear Zhou Yu speak… That explained his earlier sleep of death that he had to claw his way back out of.

"Zhao Yun fetch our medic," Liu Bei ordered, "I thought you weren't going to see him?" Zhuge Liang inwardly frowned, what did his lord mean by that?

"He tried to reach out to the two of you and it damn near sent him into a coma," Zhou Yu explained, "he wants to be awake, he wants to be talking… It's obvious. He pulled so much chi to try and assure the two of you he was alright that I nearly fell over in the mess tent into my food." That didn't sound like… Oh Kami sama, he remembers now… That's why.

'You remember your past, but do you remember your time with me? It doesn't seem like it,' Zhuge Liang thought bitterly, 'at least you can tell them what's wrong.' Zhou Yu's chi flared angrily, it confused him, what had he done now?

"Stop trying so hard and just sleep through it. Trying to wake up isn't going to speed up the process," the man explained in irritation, "I'd like to go back to lunch now, go back to a real sleep. Now you irritating bookworm." Liu Bei actually growled, it surprised the hell out of the Shu scholar.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed, "if he's really awake why—"

"He might be able to filter the pain out when he attempts at getting your attention, but he can't do that to me. I'm stuck with all of it, dead men go through less pain that he's going through right now," Zhou Yu explained from the door way, "and I can feel the ghosts of it right now. When he's asleep I don't feel it, he's in too much pain right now to be of any use."

"Master Zhou Yu is correct, Lord Zhuge Liang should not be awake for this process," a young woman explained, "his chi is burning him up because it's trying to repair everywhere at once. He needs to be asleep so he can focus on his major organs, like his heart that has stopped three times since we got to him, his lungs which keep pausing once a day for about five minutes, and his liver which is why he's looking rather yellow. He can direct the repairs from a sub conscious level, but anything more aware than that and he should be drugged."

'That's rather helpful insight… I wonder how I can get to that level of consciousness…' the scholar wondered as he tried to block out the fiery feeling running through every single cell of his body.

"This would go a lot faster if you would just stay closer to him Master Zhou Yu," the woman ground out irritatedly, "your refusal to be anywhere near him hasn't been helping at all. In fact it just leaves both of you more drained. If you'd remain here, like next to him over night for a few days we might see some actual progress towards Lord Zhuge Liang's recovery."

"Not a chance in hell," the Wu man growled, "that man put me through such hell, I'm not staying in here, especially not with him."

"Then you'll both die," the woman, Zhuge Liang was pretty sure it was Huang Yue Ying, informed him in dead pan, "Lord Liu Bei you had best just kill this one now and put them both out of their misery." Zhuge Liang inwardly frowned, he had the chi blocking most of his pain again. No matter what he thought of the Scholar at present Liang wanted no harm to come to Zhou Yu. The Wu man jumped as the warm spirit energy washed over him protectively as Liang slipped into unconsciousness. This time though it was a lot darker… and more voidish?

* * *

><p>When Zhuge Liang's spiritual energy enveloped him Zhou Yu knew something was up, he shoved the annoying medic out of the way. He put his fingers on the scholar's pulse point, then his ear over his nose. Nothing, no pulse, no whosh of air, no signs of life… He lifted an eye lid and found that even his eyes had rolled backward into his skull.<p>

"He's not breathing and his heart stopped, anyone care to explain to me why the both of you are still sitting there?" Zhou Yu hissed, Liu Bei's eyes widened impossibly as the Wu man started chest compressions. Zhao Yun took over as Zhou Yu seized his own chest, the spiritual energy around him swirled in confusion before jumping back where it belonged. The frail yellowish chest before them started to rise and fall ever so slightly as Zhou Yu crumpled to the ground.

"Well that went so well…" Zhao Yun stated pulling the unconscious Wu man up off the ground, "what should we do with him?"

"I'll send an officer in with another cot for him, we shall take Yue Ying's advice and keep them together. Perhaps it will be easier on the both of them," Liu Bei answered, "gods help us if Zhou Yu wakes when one of us is gone."


	17. Apologies as an Afterthought

Apologies as an afterthought

* * *

><p>Zhou Yu found himself less than surprised that he awoke in the Shu Prime minister's tent, what was surprising was that both Liu Bei and Zhao Yun were gone. The woman from before was also gone, leaving him with the unconscious Shu Prime Minister, but something was wrong. Zhou Yu sat up slowly, he glanced outside and found the camp mostly broken down, only theirs and a few others remained. Zhao Yun was nearby giving orders to more of his men.<p>

"What's going on?" Zhou Yu questioned as the Little Dragon moved towards him.

"Cao Cao's forces are close by, Lord Liu Bei managed to get Lu Xun back to Wu safely. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's troops are securing the parameter while I've been ordered to get the two of you out of harm's way," Zhao Yun answered, "can you get the inside of Master Liang's tent broken down to move while I get the troops ready to get you both out of here?"

"I don't see what choice I have, can you have someone bring me lunch while I'm working on it?" Zhou Yu looked around, he could see the smoke rising in the foothills. If Cao Cao's forces made their way into camp right now Zhuge Liang would either be taken again or he would be killed. The Little Dragon nodded to show that he heard him, and Zhou Yu ventured back into tent where the Shu Scholar was still out cold.

He left the cot and its inhabitant alone while he packed up the rest of the tent. He was surprised to find a stack of books in the corner, particularly a familiar one, the Art of War. He picked up the book and flipped it back and forth. He remembered a flash of memories where the Shu Scholar was tutoring Lu Xun while looking over Zhou Yu's own notes while he read the book. Lu Xun was asking questions, but he couldn't remember what.

The feather fan that the Shu Scholar normally used was sitting over in the corner, he set it on the Scholar's chest while he continued through the tent. He didn't see very much, most of the contents were medicines and blankets to take care of the injured. He folded the blankets and set them all together near the entryway, and Zhao Yun wandered in with a tray full of food for him.

"Thank you," the Little Dragon said as he passed it over to him, "you could have killed him, but you choose not to."

"He choose not to kill me, I thought I could repay the favor," Zhou Yu answered honestly, "I'm not sure how easy it is going to move him. I haven't felt him wake up since I got up, I don't know how well this will go." Zhao Yun nodded, he briefly glanced outside the tent.

"Lord Liu Bei has sent orders for me to evacuate you guys now if I am able, do you think?" they looked over at the Shu Scholar. Zhou Yu walked over to the man and pulled discretely at the man's chi, he was surprised that when he opened one eye slowly.

"Zhao Yun says that he needs to evacuate us, Cao Cao's forces are on the doorstep," Zhou Yu repeated to the Shu Scholar, "that means we have to move you, and Zhao Yun was inquiring if it would be safe to do so."

* * *

><p>Zhuge Liang felt terrible, his inner organs were a little better at least, but all of his bones ached. He had been focusing on his ribs and lungs while he had been out. It had been surprising when Zhou Yu tugged on his chi to wake him, so he opened an eye and listened to what the Wu man was saying. He could see Zhao Yun, and actually recognize him this time.<p>

"Are you certain he's able to understand what you just said?" Zhao Yun's was reading stressed out and tense. Liang inwardly frowned, it didn't seem to matter if he could travel at this point, Wei was close and they didn't have a choice. Zhou Yu was deathly calm, he didn't appear to be thinking of escaping on his own either.

"He opened his eyes, I have an idea to get him out of here," Zhou Yu explained, "I'm going to need a cart, two horses, and as much hay as you can spare." Liang watched the stratigest sketch something out and show it to Zhao Yun.

"That… that could actually work, I'll have the arrangements started," Zhao Yun smiled then walked over towards him, "he's waiting for you to explain things, don't despair and give up now." The whispered sentence meant the world, and Liang felt his heart leap at the idea. Maybe he wasn't so bad off as he thought. Zhao Yun left, and Zhou Yu ate his food in silence. When he was finished he started working on packing up the rest of the tent.

* * *

><p>"It will take Zhao Yun an hour or so to get everything together, since I have you as a captive audience let me say what I think on this matter," Zhou Yu announced pulling up a chair, "since you can't exactly interrupt I don't mind doing all the talking. If you understand tug at my chi." The Shu Scholar blinked, but there was a hesitant tug at his chi as requested. With a sigh he laced his hands and focused on the Shu Scholar.<p>

"I don't remember anything particularly after Sun Ce's death, yes I do remember that now. I remember fragments, like you tutoring Lu Xun and looking over my notes, but aside from that nothing," Zhou Yu explained releasing his chi so the Shu scholar could read that he was telling the truth, "Lord Liu Bei explained to me this much, that you saved my life and that I owe you a chance to tell your story. Others have said it is not their place to tell me what happened, and I get the feeling that there was something going on between the two of us. That's the only way this whole chi thing could have happened.

"Since you can't currently insult my intelligence I will continue, and I will say that I am beginning to understand why they say you have something to tell me. The only thing I don't get is why I have this giant hole in my memories or why you cared at all when you found me to save me in the first place. Lu Xun said that I was suicidal when I first recovered, what changed so that I am not now?" Zhou Yu sighed, it wasn't like he was expecting any answers now. He wasn't stupid, something had happened between him and the Shu Scholar for all of these circumstances to occur like they had.

As much as he wished that Zhuge Liang could answer him right now, he knew it wasn't something possible at the moment. The Shu Scholar's chi was weak, but it tugged at his own chi incessantly. As if he was begging him to continue, Zhou Yu shook his head. Now wasn't the time, they had to get out of here first, that is unless the Shu Scholar really thought he wasn't going to make it.

"I asked Zhao Yun to load a covered cart with hay, that way we can place you in a cocoon of hay and blankets to prevent too much jostling. The ride is still going to be uncomfortable, but the idea is to take off with you in the cart rather than on horseback. It will be slower, but if you stand a chance of recovering at all you will need this break," Zhou Yu explained, "and if we plan it right we can make it look like a merchant cart rather than a make shift medic's wagon. It should be enough to get us out of here, unless you really want to do what you did earlier…"

He thought back on the distressing way that Scholar's spirit energy had left him and cloaked Zhou Yu protectively. He had actually killed himself temporarily in that process, and it had hurt to watch. The man who had tormented him relentlessly when they worked together, so much so that he had made himself sick through stress a couple of times. The Shu Scholar closed his eyes, and Zhou Yu wondered what he was thinking about.

"Please don't do it," Zhou Yu found himself whispering, "enough good men have died. I don't need to see anymore of that anytime soon." There was a delicate layer of chi wrapped comfortingly around him before it was pulled back. The Shu Scholar had chosen to fall back asleep, which was probably for the best.

"We're ready for you Lord Zhou Yu," Zhao Yun announced, "I've got some extra men here to help you load. Past that it appears that you'll be mostly on your own while I close down the rest of camp." Zhou Yu nodded looking back towards the sleeping scholar, perhaps they would make it through this with their lives.

* * *

><p>Liu Bei was following the recommendations of a few men right now, his main priority was getting his strategist out of harm's way. Zhao Yun had remained in camp to get both Master Liang and Zhou Yu out of there safely. Lu Xun had gone back to Wu to send reinforcements, but it would be too little too late if they didn't retreat to a better position soon. Zhao Yun had sent word that the former Wu strategist was awake at least and being co-operative, he seemed to realize the gravity of the situation.<p>

"Sir, Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang are moving out now," the messenger pointed out. Liu Bei nodded, "Lord Zhao Yun says that while they won't be able to travel quickly Zhou Yu actually devised a way for them to transport the Prime Minister without aggravating his injuries further." Well that was a welcome surprise, Liu Bei looked over to Jiang Wei, the young man hadn't done too badly predicting where Cao Cao's troops were going to appear from.

"Get them into Wu's territory, as deep as you can get them, Lu Xun will be expecting them. Have Zhao Yun follow them, we will retreat to Guan Du," Liu Bei instructed, "Jing is a small price to pay to have everyone make it out of here alive." Jiang Wei nodded, sending messages out to certain units. Liu Bei's messenger left, and he hoped that he could reclaim his strategist soon enough.


	18. Like a Moth to a Flame

I hope you all are ready for the 'feels' this chapter has damn near made me cry couple of times.

I will state for the record, no character death of either Zhou Yu or Zhuge Liang in this fic. Mentions of suicide and such, but I refuse to let them follow through.

**Like a Moth to a Flame**

* * *

><p>Zhou Yu had made a slight change in their plans, and Zhao Yun had agreed that the change was a good one. It had taken a bit of convincing to get Liu Bei to agree, but the location was safer than the two of them returning to Jiang Dong. Huang Yue Ying had traded places with Zhao Yun and they had returned to Zhuge Liang's mountain home from before he joined Shu. It was there that Zhuge Liang spent the next three months slowly recovering, when he was able to sit up on his own Zhou Yu decided that it was time for the man to come clean. Yue Ying agreed, it was time everyone was honest and said she would be patrolling near the lower gates so everything could be taken care of. So Zhou Yu wheeled the weak Shu scholar to a secluded pond on the property, and placed his back against the trees facing it.<p>

"I believe I owe you an answer of sorts," Zhuge Liang's first spoken words since the incident, "and you have been more than patient with me while I have recovered Lord Zhou Yu. For that I am very grateful." Zhou Yu took a seat against a different tree but facing the other strategist.

"What happened after Sun Ce died, how did I come to be in your care?" Zhou Yu asked, "that's where I need you to start." The Shu Scholar took a deep breath, and for once he didn't look like he was in pain.

"You were found in the middle of the camp covered in arrows, blood, and mud. No one had any clue as to who you were, once Zhao Yun had you down I recognized you and had you cleaned up and treated for your injuries. We had every intention of sending you straight back to Wu, only when you came to you kept trying to kill yourself," Liang explained, "it took some convincing, but after your body recovered we secretly took you to Wu. We had no idea what had happened to Sun Ce until I spoke with Sun Quan, Sun Shang Xiang, and Lu Xun about your condition. They agreed to let me try to help you, from there I had the Little Dragon hit you precisely in a spot to cause amnesia."

"That certainly explains the lack of memories I have for that time," Zhou Yu thought aloud, "please continue."

"Your identity and the fact you were alive was a closely guarded secret until Chi Bi, we kept you fit and while I was trying to complete Lu Xun's training I was also mentoring you back up to speed. I must tell you this now, I had no idea that you were planning an alliance with Shu, even on a temporary basis until I saw that map of yours," Zhuge Liang took a deep breath, "it made me realize that I had been overly cruel in a matter in which you did not deserve. Every night I dreaded that you would remember what an—"

"What an asshole you had been to me? I can see how that would get complicated," Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes, "I recall some of my memories, and we were often alone from what I saw."

"That's part of it, the other part of it was that I felt responsible for causing you so much pain. It took months to get you to Wu and I spent a lot of time just doing simple things like brushing your hair. It changed a lot of my perspective on the matter," Zhuge Liang looked to him pleadingly now, "I actually began to care about another human being after trying so hard to save you. As soon as my guard was down you, and all your charm stole my heart." Zhuge Liang looked down at his fairly numb toes, he wasn't sure how to explain it other than that. If he had come out saying that he loved the other man Zhou Yu would probably have pushed him away, as it was he was getting a strange look from him.

"You are saying that while caring for me you gradually fell in love with me?" the man reiterated in more plain terms.

"I wouldn't say so much gradually, it just sort of happened. One moment I was brushing your hair and giving you medicine, about two weeks later amnesia you was flirting with me and I… I realized just how deep I was in this," he responded with a blush, "Lu Xun didn't believe me either, but I knew how far I was willing to go to save you as soon as I saw you launch your head at the metal frame of my bed that first day. You had lost your best friend and it was killing you. In order to save you I had to make you forget. You still retained so much even without your memories."

"What made you think I wanted to be saved? Sun Ce was gone, I was trying to end my own misery and you decide intervening is the best course of action?" the questions weren't as accusational as Zhuge Liang expected after his confession, "why tell Lu Xun? Why not Sun Quan?"

"Why did I tell him at all? I don't know, he caught me at a moment of weakness I suppose. I was busy lamenting over your lost abilities and how much talent you had before I forced it away. My only regret is that I didn't treat you right from the start, but that comes from being a paranoid strategist I suppose. We can never really trust anyone but our lords not to betray us," Zhuge Liang answered truthfully, "I wanted to give you a chance to get past the grief, it was soul consuming to the point that I couldn't possibly imagine…"

"Sun Ce and I weren't just friends," the Wu man was watching his face carefully, "we were lovers, each other's most trusted confidant. It was like losing half my soul, the Qiao sisters were only involved because he needed to have an heir as the Lord of the Wu Kingdom. That was something that as a man I could never give him." Zhuge Liang felt his eyes widen, no wonder the rest of Wu had been so unsurprised that he hadn't returned. It also filled in why the man had been so distraught in the first place.

"I apologize, I had no idea just how… I suppose there aren't really words to cover that kind of grief are there?" Zhuge Liang asked, Zhou Yu shook his head still watching him carefully, "In trying to help you past that it appeared that while I was already head over heels that the you without your memories was starting to fall for me. I didn't realize how close we had gotten until one night when I spooked myself straight up a tree."

"I vaguely recall a memory of watching you fall out of a tree, what happened?" the Wu man asked curiously.

"Lord Liu Bei surprised me and I backed off the branch. Had it not been for your quick reaction I am sure things would not have happened half so… interestingly," he laughed lightly recalling the look on the others face as they landed on the canvas roof of Zhang Fei's tent, "you used the great and fearsome 'God of War' as a springboard to catch me before you attempted to land on a canvas tent roof. I rescued you from the pointy end of Lord Zhang Fei's pike and Lord Liu Bei was impressed."

"That would be worth remembering," Zhou Yu responded with a small smile, "but I suppose the rest is history. I must ask, what did you really think would happen? You said that you had fallen in love with me, but at the time I didn't know just who you were. How did you expect things to turn out?"

"I wasn't sure truth be told, I was scared of what you would do once you regained your memories and your hatred of me. You actually remembered that you hated me deep down, but it was that you that said you could get past that for all that I had done for you. I honestly didn't believe that you would, and I was prepared when I woke up and realized that you had remembered to throw in the towel right then and there," Zhuge Liang answered.

"The day that you covered me in chi in response to Yue Ying's suggestion to just kill me," Zhou Yu added, "why were you so willing to go then?"

"I figured that I had no chance what was the point?" Zhuge Liang turned away from him to look at the pond in front of him, "I had no intentions of living through that fall. Your chi latched onto mine at the last minute and it was all that stopped me from dying. When I woke up to find you with your memories back but no memories of everything we had gone through I gave up." He sighed and looked down at his shaking hands, he could be honest with himself. If things didn't work he wasn't going back to Shu, he was going to go through with it and release Zhou Yu. He couldn't keep relying on the man's good nature to keep him alive if…

"Thank you for listening," he finished up. He couldn't bring himself to look at Zhou Yu, he couldn't risk it.

"I will send Yue Ying to take you back to your house," Zhou Yu said after a while, "I need some time to think things over." Zhuge Liang found himself nodding numbly as he felt more than watched the other man retreat. He had made the decision that first day he woke up, if Zhou Yu didn't want him he wasn't going to stick around. There were however things that he needed to put into order before he did such a thing.

Zhuge Liang sat there at the pond patiently, he knew he couldn't make it back to the house by himself without seriously injuring himself. He knew it was a twenty minute walk down, and with his mind as full as it was Zhou Yu was probably walking, so when he felt the distraught tug in Zhou Yu's chi he knew Yue Ying was speaking with him over his own plans. He sighed looking behind for the wheeled chair that he had been brought up in. He wondered if he should go and intervene, but knew it was too late at this point. Zhou Yu was now aware of his conditions, so the Shu Scholar sighed against the tree and let himself cry silently.

The chi on the other end of his was so confused, and right now it was even hurt. His first instinct was to send reassurance back across it, but at this point he was pretty sure this was unintentional feedback and that his actions were most likely unwanted. Yue Ying would have to handle it, because he could feel the barest hints of her chi attempting to calm down the Wu man. He couldn't just block the Zhou Yu out now, he should have closed the feedback when he finished speaking with him earlier. Right now he was getting the full range of Zhou Yu's emotions, and it was too strong for him to control without blocking it.

* * *

><p>Zhou Yu found Yue Ying at the front gate as she promised, she was leaning against it keeping an eye out for anything that she would call dangerous. When she spotted him she smiled slightly, then she gestured for him to join her.<p>

"I suppose the secret is out now?" she asked calmly, "if not for you I probably would have married Master Liang."

"He will require your assistance to get back inside, I—" Zhou Yu watched as she moved forward to meet him, "I can tell something's wrong. It's like he is just waiting for me to pull the noose around his neck or something… I don't understand what is going through his mind right now." Yue Ying frowned falling into step beside him as he led her up to the pond.

"Let me try then Lord Zhou Yu. By all rights Master Liang should be dead right now, this you, the one with all your memories didn't have a choice about saving him, but the you that lacked the torment reached out to his very soul to bring him back from the other side when he was gone. Your soul has tethered him here, it means that you loved him as much as he claims to love you," Yue Ying stopped them, "if you choose to leave he isn't going to stop you, because that's your choice. His opinion is that if you don't want him, as flawed as this logic is, he will do the same damn thing he did in that tent."

"If I don't want to give him the chance he's going to kill himself," Zhou Yu fell to his knees, "that sort of forces my hand doesn't it? I can't let the asshole die."

"That's not it, his soul is still very weak from this whole ordeal," she corrected, "he's in the exact same state you were in when he found you. In order to save you he gave you up. To be frank with you its logically backwards and fucked up that his life is in your hands, but he doesn't think he can live without you around after having you around. I'm inclined to agree with you, and its my fault that he figured out he could do this. For that I am sorry."

"It's not your fault, I just don't understand what he wants from me. He may have been an asshole but that doesn't mean he deserves to die," Zhou Yu fisted his hair, "right now it just seems that it I even talk to the guy I'm going to walk out of there and he's going to off himself. Ugh."

"I can speak with him about giving you more time to think about it Zhou Yu, but you need to trust your instincts here," she explained placing her hands on his shoulders, "if you can't love him he's going to do it regardless of what either of us say. That's what this is about, he needs you to care, I'm sure he doesn't expect you to be head over heels right now, but if there's a chance that you can love him he needs to know that. If you can't you need to let him go, I'm sure he'll make sure that Liu Bei doesn't hold it against you or Wu, and then he will probably kill himself."

"I… I don't know if I can," Zhou Yu looks to her with tears in his eyes, he is so stressed out right now, "but I know I can't live with the idea of someone taking their own life over something so trivial."

"It isn't so trivial," she sighed pulling him in to cry against her shoulder, "I will do what I can, please just consider the idea."

* * *

><p>Yue Ying did her best to console Zhou Yu, going so far as to wrap her chi around him in something like a hug. Imagine her surprise when she realized that Zhuge Liang hadn't blocked the other end, she looked down at the mess of a man crying into her shoulder. She tugged at him through Zhou Yu's bond and didn't get a response other than the Shu scholar's chi huddled away as though it had been burned.<p>

'He feels unwanted,' she reminded herself, 'if I can convince Zhou Yu to tug at this we might have a chance… but Zhou Yu probably doesn't know he is even sending those emotions right now.' She sighed petting the distraught man's hair.

"I feel like such a fool," the Wu man whispered, "why can't I stop crying? I've killed people before, why is this idea of him killing himself so distressing?" He pulled himself back, and she realized he still didn't realize he had a way to buy himself more time.

"Zhou Yu listen to me, you two are connected on a soul deep level," she pulled his tearstained face up to look at her, "your emotions have been going straight to him through that, his chi is just on the other side. If you tug at it I'm sure it would help you rein yourself in, but you'll have to trust Master Liang. I know he's there because I just felt him." Zhou Yu looked at her bleary eyed, and watched him hesitate.

"He pulled away when you tugged at him though, why would he answer my chi any differently? I'm not even sure I can even do what he's asking of me," Zhou Yu answered honestly, and she felt his chi slacken its grip even further. She cursed inwardly, Master Liang was asking too much yet exactly what he needed to be.

"If you let his chi go now we are going to lose him, he knows that you talked to me about this Zhou Yu. Please for the love of god reach out to him before we lose him!" she begged. That was before Zhou Yu passed out entirely, she cursed her bad luck and threw him over her shoulder to take back to the house.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC... <strong>

**(You do not have to read the below segment, it has no real story value. It just tells you the readers about my Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate binge.)  
><strong>

**Crimson Choucho: **So basically I have the month off from work (which is awesome!) and I have been playing both Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate and Dynasty Warriors 8 Xtreme Legends Complete edition non-stop. My housemates have even started calling it my 'nerd-game' which I am supremely unsurprised at seeing as I play these games as much as normal people play Skyrim (have/own/have god knows how many hours into it)/Halo/Call of Duty/Minecraft/Kingdom Hearts/FinalFantasty(X in my case, 114 hours and I have an aeon like Tidus and a god like Yuna).

I have one character left to unlock in Orochi 3 (the demon thing/guy you get from gauntlet mode.) In gauntlet mode where you pick 5 characters instead of three, these are my five: Zhuge Liang is ranked the highest (believe it or not he is my go to character), Cao Pi, Sophitia a guest character from Soul Calibur IV, Mitsuhide Akechi, and the last one is Hanbei Takanaka. Other characters I use a lot are: Cao Cao, Nu Wa, Sterkenburg (Atelier games), Xiao Qiao, Zhou Yu, Ying Long (btw WHY TAMAMO, WHY?!), Xiahou Dun, Wang Yi, Sun Jian, Keiji Maeda, Nagamasa Azai, Mitsunari Ishida, Masamune Date, and Liu Bei. I've noticed overtime that the more of a jerk the character is the more I tend to enjoy playing them. (As a side note all but ten characters in this game have their proficiencies maxed! Woot! Out of a hundred and forty plus characters I'd say I'm doing great.) Sorry, about the nerdism going on here. My point is I spend a lot of time with these guys, and Liang spends a lot of that time being BAMF. When you add all that time off with all that game time it creates these lovely chapters.


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